The Definition of Us
by Fae'sFlower
Summary: "And now, presenting Their Royal Highnesses, Prince Fiyero Liir Magnus Tigulaar and Princess Elphaba Melena Tigulaar, Crown Prince and Princess of the Vinkus!" When Elphaba marries the love of her life, she is thrust into a completely different life than the one she thought she would have. Will she be able to survive being a princess? Fiyeraba.
1. Chapter 1

**Here we are, everyone! New story! I know I have two more chapters of 'To Be A Princess" to go, but I just couldn't wait any longer to start posting this. Get ready for** ** _lots_** **of Fiyeraba fluff. And… you know… some angst and drama thrown in for good measure, but mostly fluff.**

* * *

A hearty laugh escaped Elphaba Thropp's throat as she ran through the tall grass of the Thousand Year Grasslands. She ran faster and faster, the wind whipping through her long, raven locks. She turned around, expecting to see her boyfriend right behind her, but slowed to a stop when she realized that she was alone. "Yero?" she called, looking around. "Yero!" A high pitched squeal escaped from her throat as she felt someone tackle her from behind, causing her to fall to the ground. She turned to see Fiyero Tigulaar laying on top of her, a cheeky smile painted on his lips.

"Hi," he grinned, leaning down to kiss the green girl.

Elphaba smiled against the kiss, then pushed the prince off of her, causing him to roll over onto his back. "Hey."

"So, do you like it here?"

Elphaba looked around at the tall grass and wildflowers surrounding her and smiled. "You were right. It is beautiful. The flowers and the grass and the trees…"

The prince chuckled. "That wasn't exactly what I was talking about."

Now Elphaba was confused. "Oh?"

Fiyero reached over and plucked a yellow dandelion and placed it in her hair. "I meant here, in the Vinkus?"

"In general?"

Fiyero nodded.

The green girl thought for a moment. "It's… different from Munchkinland. I'm just really glad my father allowed me to spend the summer here."

"You earned it, Fae. You were top of the year at Shiz. They don't select just anyone to be the class valedictorian. You deserve a little break."

Elphaba blushed. "Well, to answer your question, I love it here. The people are… surprisingly really nice and accepting of me. I just… didn't expect it, I guess."

"So, you would want to, say, live here?"

Elphaba laughed softly. "For how long?"

"I don't know… the rest of our lives."

It quickly sunk in what Fiyero was saying and Elphaba whipped around to face him. "I… Yero, was that a… proposal?"

"No," Fiyero said nonchalantly. "It was just a simple question."

"Oh." For some reason, Elphaba sounded disappointed, which didn't go unnoticed by the prince.

"So?"

"It is beautiful here, Yero, but…"

"Fae," the prince cut her off with a kiss. "You're making this more difficult than it really is. No buts, just answer the question."

"I… I would love to live here, but I have responsibilities back in Munchkinland. Nessa needs me."

The Prince's heart fell a bit, but he tried his best to cover it up. "Fae, Nessa is a grown woman now. Surely, you could…"

"Yero, you know the only reason my father allowed me to come here was because Nessa also wanted to come. If she didn't want to come, I'd be back in Munchkinland right now. I know you don't like it, but that's just the way it is."

"I know, but I don't like it," Fiyero repeated, gently kissing his girlfriend. "But I like you."

Elphaba rolled her eyes and gently pushed away. "You're so cheesy."

"You still love me," the prince said, giving his girlfriend a cheeky smile.

The two laid in the grass in silence for a while, their hands intertwined. Elphaba inhaled deeply, the clean, country air filling her lungs. Fiyero turned his head and silently observed her, smiling softly at the way her dimples showed when she smiled.

"What?" Elphaba asked softly when she realized Fiyero was looking at her.

"Nothing, nothing. It's just… you're really beautiful."

Elphaba blushed and made to turn away, but Fiyero caught her chin and kissed her again. "Really beautiful," he murmured against her lips.

"Yero," Elphaba moaned as Fiyero kissed her neck.

"Hmm?"

"I love you."

"I love you, too, Fae." Smiling, the prince rose to his feet and helped Elphaba up. As they walked back, holding hands and swinging their arms, Fiyero wondered if he could ask Elphaba the question he planned on asking her.

"What is it, Yero?" Elphaba asked when she noticed the look on Fiyero's face.

"I wanted to ask you something."

"What?"

Fiyero stopped and gently turned Elphaba towards him. "I like you, Fae. Scratch that – I love you. I could go into this whole big speech about how stupid, shallow and self-absorbed I was before we met, but you already know that story."

"'Maybe the driver saw green and thought it meant 'go''?" Elphaba teased.

"Yeah," the prince blushed, nervously rubbing the back of his neck. "Things like that. Anyway, I know how your life was before we met, and no matter how much I want to, I can't change that, and I'm really sorry that I can't, but…" He reached into his back pocket. "I can control what happens from this day forward."

"Yero, is this… are you…" Elphaba gasped, cursing her inability to form complete thoughts.

The prince chuckled as he got down on one knee. "Yes, Fae. _This_ is a proposal."

Elphaba felt the blood rush to her face as Fiyero pulled out a small, black box and opened it, revealing an engagement ring with a thick, silver band and a blue diamond gemstone in the center.

"Elphaba Melena Thropp," Fiyero began slowly, noticing the tears in the green girl's eyes. "Will you marry me?"

Elphaba didn't even bother to try and stop the tears from flowing down her cheek. "I… Fiyero…"

"Let me put it this way," Fiyero said, still on one knee. "Do you _want_ to marry me?"

"O-Of course I want t-to, Yero," Elphaba managed to say in between sobs.

The prince smiled. "So, _will_ you marry me?"

Not trusting her voice, Elphaba simply nodded. Grinning, Fiyero slipped the ring onto her left ring finger and rose to his feet. He cupped her face in his hands and kissed her passionately, wrapping his arm around her as they both fell back onto the grass.

"In case I haven't told you before, I love you," Fiyero smiled once they pulled away, wiping a tear from Elphaba's cheek.

"I love you, too, Yero," Elphaba smiled, wiping a stray tear. "So much."

* * *

"I leave you alone for _five minutes_ , and you come back engaged!"

Fiyero laughed as his older cousin, Calysteria, or Cally for short, the Duchess of Kvon Altar, admired Elphaba's ring.

"Well, I take it that Fiyero here managed not to screw it up," Cally smirked. "Good for you, cuz."

"Gee, thanks, _cuz_ ," Fiyero sighed, wrapping his arms around his fiancée.

"I take it I'm invited to the wedding?"

"No," Fiyero deadpanned.

"Of course," Elphaba smiled.

The duchess smirked. "Good, because someone's got to make sure Fiyero actually arrives _on time_."

"Again, thanks!" Fiyero said, throwing his hands into the air. "Wait until everyone else hears the news."

"What news?" Galinda asked as she came into the parlor, pushing Nessa's wheelchair.

"We're getting married!" Fiyero announced happily, gently pulling Elphaba closer to him.

Galinda eyes widened. "Really?" she squealed.

The green girl smiled softly and nodded. "Yes."

"Lemme see! Lemme see! Lemme _see!_ " Galinda giggled as she hurried over to her friend and examined the ring.

"Traditional Vinkun Diamond was a very wise choice Fiyero," Cally said sincerely.

"I know," the prince said, clearly proud of himself.

"Fabala, that's wonderful news," Nessa smiled as she wheeled over to her sister. "I'm so happy for you."

"Thank you, Nessie," Elphaba smiled, hugging her sister.

"What's going on in here?" Queen Amalie asked as she entered the parlor with her husband, King Raal.

"Wittle Fiywero here is getting married," Cally giggled as she pinched her cousin's cheek.

"Cally!" Fiyero frowned, lightly slapping her hand away.

"It's about time, too," Raal muttered, earning him an elbow to the side from his wife.

"Fiyero, Elphaba, that's wonderful news," Amalie smiled, approaching the green girl and giving her a hug. "Welcome to the family, Elphaba."

"Thank you," Elphaba smiled, returning the hug.

The blonde looked absolutely thrilled. "Oh my Oz, this is so exciting! Ooh, and what will your dress look like? We will have to go dress shopping, of course."

Before Elphaba could answer, Amalie said softly, "Elphaba, since you will be marrying into the royal family, there are certain royal traditions that you must abide by when it comes to the wedding."

"What kind of traditions?" Elphaba asked, turning towards the Queen.

Amalie smiled. "For example, you won't see the dress until the wedding day. There are special designers that come and take your measurements, and design the dress that way."

Galinda looked crestfallen that she wouldn't be able to help her friend pick out her wedding dress, but Elphaba didn't seem to mind. "It's alright," the green girl reassured her. She would gladly abide by the traditions if it meant marrying the love of her life.

* * *

 **Well, that was the first chapter. And I created a twitter account for my writing. The link is in my bio.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Thank you all for your reviews! More Fiyeraba fluff is on the way.**

* * *

"Oh Oz, my father is going to kill me."

Galinda looked up from her nails at the green girl, who was currently pacing around the parlor. "Why?"

"Because I'm not going back to Munchkinland."

"Yeah, because you and Fifi are getting married."

Elphaba sighed and ran her hand though her hair. "I just… all my life, he made it very clear that he was only keeping me around to take care of Nessa. Now, I won't be able to anymore. He'll be furious."

"Well, while he's furious, you'll be happily married to Fifi," Galinda said as she blew on her nails to make them dry faster.

"Nessa… oh sweet Oz, I didn't even ask Nessa if all of this was okay with her!" Elphaba exclaimed.

"She seemed happy enough for you."

"She was then, yes, but what happens once the news fully sinks in? She feels most comfortable with me helping her. I feel like I've abandoned her."

"You haven't abandoned her, Elphie. You've taken care of her her entire life. You were practically her mother. Plus, this is Nessa we're talking about. She would have told you if she wasn't okay with it."

Despite everything, Elphaba smiled a bit. "You're right."

"Of course I am. Now, just relax."

Elphaba did as she was told and took a deep breath.

"Better?"

"Yeah. Thanks, Glin. I'll go help Nessie pack up now," Elphaba said as she gave her friend a hug and went to find her sister. She found Nessa in her room, packing her clothes. "Need some help?"

Nessa looked up and smiled. "No, thanks, Fabala. I can handle it."

Elphaba saw her sister struggle to pack her belongings and stepped into the room to help her.

"Elphaba, I can do it myself," Nessa said when she saw Elphaba begin to fold her clothes.

"Nessie, it's really not a problem," Elphaba said as she walked back to her sister with the folded clothes.

Frowning, Nessa snatched her clothes and shoved them into her suitcase. "I said I could do it!"

Elphaba stepped back. "Nessie, what's wrong?"

"How am I supposed to do anything for myself if you keep doing everything for me?"

It suddenly dawned on Elphaba what was wrong. "You don't want me to marry Fiyero, do you?"

Nessa realized what she said and how it sounded and turned towards her sister. "I…"

"Nessie, if you don't want me to marry Fiyero, I won't."

"I just… it will be very different without you at home," Nessa said softly, avoiding her sister's gaze.

"That's it, I'm not going to marry Fiyero," Elphaba said, trying to keep her voice from wavering.

"What? Fabala, this is what you want!" Nessa exclaimed, finally lifting her gaze to meet her sister's.

"But _you_ don't want me to."

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to sound selfish. It's just… you've been taking care of me my entire life and I… I like the way you do things."

Elphaba smiled softly. "I'll go pack my things."

"No, Fabala. You don't need to pack your things."

"Why not?"

"Because you're not going back to Munchkinland."

Elphaba froze. "Nessa…"

"I'll learn to live without you constantly helping me. I'm a grown woman now, Fabala. I want you to be happy."

"Nessa, are you sure this is what you want?"

"It's what _you_ want. You've put your life on hold long enough for me. You deserve this. You and Fiyero deserve each other."

Elphaba wiped the stray tear sliding down her cheek and hugged her sister. "Thank you, Nessie."

"You're welcome, Fabala. And I'll help explain everything to Father."

Elphaba gave her sister and grateful smile and stood up. "Thank you." She turned and walked back to the door, but stopped when her sister called her again.

"Can… can you help me pack?" Nessa asked in a small voice.

Elphaba laughed softly. "Of course, Nessa."

* * *

The carriage to take Nessa home arrived the next day. The brunette did her best to hide the sadness of leaving her sister, but Elphaba reassured her that she would be back for the wedding in a few months, which put the brunette at ease.

"Think about it this way," Cally smiled. "Now you're just one step away from being Auntie Nessa."

Galinda, Cally and Nessa broke into a fit of giggles while Elphaba paled and Fiyero made a noise in the back of his throat. "Cally, we're not even married yet," the prince groaned.

"Oh, lighten up, I was only teasing," Cally said, being the first one to recover.

The sound of wheels against the stone road caught everyone's attention.

"The carriage is here," Nessa said as she wheeled over to the window and looked outside.

"And your father's in it," Galinda said as stepped up behind Nessa and saw the Governor of Munchkinland step down.

"What?" Elphaba gasped as she hurried to the window and saw her father step down from the carriage. "Oh Oz."

"Don't worry, Fae. We'll help handle your father," Fiyero said as he wrapped an arm around Elphaba's waist and kissed her cheek.

"Oh joy," Elphaba muttered.

The prince gave his fiancée a quick kiss and pulled her into a hug. "Don't worry," he whispered into her ear.

"He's going to kill me."

"If he does, he'll have to go through me first."

Elphaba looked up and gave Fiyero a watery smile. "Thanks."

"All in a day's work," the prince smiled.

Soon, the group heard voices from outside the parlor, and Amalie and Raal came in, followed by Frex.

"Father!" Nessa smiled, quickly wheeling over to greet their father.

Frex smiled as he knelt down to greet his favorite daughter. "Nessa, I've missed you. How was your summer?"

"It was wonderful, Father," Nessa smiled.

"We're having the servants being Nessa's belongings down," Amalie said, giving the Governor a gentle, yet weary look.

Frex, who didn't seem to notice, simply nodded. "Thank you, Your Majesties, for your hospitality."

"Anytime, Governor," Raal nodded.

Frex turned and began to push Nessa out of the parlor, completely ignoring Elphaba.

"Maybe if I just stand here, he won't notice me," Elphaba whispered.

"Elphaba!" Frex called.

"No such luck." Sighing, Elphaba walked out of the parlor and saw her father standing by the doorway, Nessa nowhere in sight.

"Where are your belongings?" Frex asked. "If you leave anything here, you will not be coming back to retrieve them."

"Actually, Father, I wanted to talk to you about that," Elphaba began, swallowing the lump in her throat.

Frex narrowed his eyes. "Yes?"

"I… I won't be coming back to Munchkinland with you."

If Frex was angry, he did a great job of not showing it. He simply stared at his daughter as if she was crazy. "Don't be foolish, Elphaba," he finally said. "Get your belongings."

"Father, I'm staying here," Elphaba said in a strong voice.

"Oh? And why is that?" Frex asked, his voice tight.

"I…" Suddenly, Elphaba lost her voice. She felt a sudden rush of fear overcome her and she tried to push it aside.

"What?"

"Fiyero and I are getting married," she finally blurted out.

Frex went completely still. Elphaba watched as he paled slightly, his mouth opened and closed as he tried to form words. She was sure he was going to kill her now.

"What?" he finally asked in a low growl.

"Fiyero proposed, and I accepted," Elphaba said, fingering her ring. Before she could say more, she felt her father grab her arm and pull her down the hallway and throw her into the first room he saw, which just so happened to be Nessa's guest room.

"You stupid, foolish girl!" Frex growled as he slammed the door behind him. "What is the meaning of this?"

"Fiyero proposed, Father, and I accepted," Elphaba responded calmly.

"Are you pregnant?"

Elphaba stumbled back, blinking. "W-What? No, Father."

"Then why else would the Crown Prince of the Vinkus want to marry you?"

Elphaba felt her breath hitch in her throat. "B-Because… he… he loves me... and I love him."

Frex bit back the urge to laugh. Who could possibly love Elphaba? Her green skin was hideous, sinful even. And he didn't even want to get started on her temper. "Stop this game, Elphaba, and get your things. We're leaving. Now."

Elphaba shook her head. "I won't be leaving, Father. Fiyero and I are getting married and I have to stay here."

Before she could react, Frex stepped over to her and slapped her cheek. Elphaba stumbled back, a soft sob slipping past her lips as she cupped her cheek, avoiding her father's glare.

"You dare disobey me?" Frex growled. "I am your father. You will do as I say. How could you be so stupid? You have duties in Munchkinland. You know your place. How could you abandon your sister without a second thought?"

"I haven't abandoned Nessa, Father," Elphaba whispered, not fully trusting her voice. "I have taken care of her since she was born. I have been nothing but devoted to her."

"So you show her that you care about her by leaving her?"

"She's okay with all of this, Father. She gave us her blessing."

"Anything with you connected to it doesn't deserve a blessing. You're a walking curse. Everything you touch, you destroy."

Elphaba didn't even try to stop the tears from flowing. It had been a while since her father had insulted her like this, and to say that she was no longer used to it wouldn't be far from the truth.

"Now, I will tell you one more time," Frex said, his voice fighting to return to normal. "Get. Your. Things."

"No," Elphaba whispered. "I'm not leaving, Father. I'm staying here with Fiyero."

"You stupid girl! You will pay for your disobedience!" Frex yelled as he slapped Elphaba again.

Elphaba bit back a scream as she stumbled back. She just wanted this torture to end. _Please_ , she thought. _Help_.

"Fae!"

Elphaba dared to look up and saw Fiyero hurrying to her side.

"Stay out of this, _Prince_ Fiyero. This is none of your concern," Frex said, strangely calm.

"On the contrary, Governor, this _is_ my concern," Fiyero said as he hugged Elphaba close. "I cannot allow anyone to hurt my fiancée."

"I am her father," Frex practically growled.

"A father who obviously doesn't care about his own daughter. I trust you have been informed that Elphaba will not be going back to that haunted place with you."

"Yero," Elphaba whispered, fearing that Fiyero would only make it worse.

"Shh, it's okay, Fae. I won't let him hurt you again," Fiyero whispered to the green girl before turning his attention back to Frex. "I have ask Elphaba to marry me and she has accepted."

"Without asking for my permission," Frex challenged.

"Elphaba is a grown woman, and so is Nessa. They are old enough to make their own decisions. And Elphaba chose to marry me. And if you have a problem with that, I can assure you that my parents will be more than happy to discuss this with you."

"And what if I don't?"

Fiyero leveled a glare with the Governor. "Then I'm sure my parents will be more than willing to cut off all trade with Munchkinland."

The Governor paused at this. The Vinkus was a substantial part of the Munchkinland economy. He looked once more at his daughter, whose bruised cheek was now buried in the prince's shirt, and marched out of the room without saying another word.

The prince audibly exhaled and gently pulled away from Elphaba. "Are you h-" He couldn't even finish the question before wincing at the bruise on Elphaba's cheek. "Oh, Fae."

"It's okay, Yero. I've dealt with worse," Elphaba said softly.

"Well, you won't anymore. I won't let anything or anyone hurt you ever again," he promised. "Let's get you some ice." The couple walked out, Elphaba leaning heavily on Fiyero, back into the parlor. Frex and Nessa were nowhere to be found and the carriage was gone.

"Elphie, are you al- sweet Oz!" Galinda gasped, seeing her best friend's face.

Fiyero called one of the maids over and told her to bring them a bag of ice and a cup of tea as soon as possible. Galinda immediately rushed over to her best friend and helped her sit down in one of the chairs.

"I'm so sorry, Fae," Fiyero said when the maid returned with the ice and tea.

"It's alright, Yero. It's not your fault," Elphaba said as the maid came back with the tea and ice. She placed the ice against her cheek, wincing slightly as she did so.

"I've already failed at protecting you and we're not even married yet."

"Yero, you didn't fail at anything. It's alright. I'm alright."

The prince didn't look convinced, but nodded anyway. "I love you, Fae."

"I love you, too, Yero my hero."


	3. Chapter 3

**Thank you all for your reviews! They mean the world to me. More Fiyeraba on the way.**

* * *

After her argument with her father, Elphaba had expected him to completely cut her off and never speak to her again. That's why she was very surprised when she got a package with all of the things from her room. Slowly, Elphaba began to unpack her books and other belongings when Galinda came in.

"Hi, Elphie!" the blonde giggled, bouncing into the room and hopping onto her best friend's bed. "What's that?"

"My things from Munchkinland," Elphaba answered, half-distracted as she skimmed through one of her old book before placing it on her desk. "My father sent them. Though, I don't know if this is a good or bad thing."

"Why would it be bad?" Galinda asked as she swung her legs back and forth.

"I… I don't know, but I bet this isn't a sign of affection from him," Elphaba said as she finished unpacking the package.

Galinda knew that no matter what she said, it wouldn't make her best friend feel better. "Elphie…"

"I just feel that… that I _did_ abandon her," Elphaba whispered.

Galinda immediately pulled the green girl into a hug. "Elphie, look at me." She waited for Elphaba to look at her before she continued. "You did not abandon Nessa. You've been taking care of her since she was little. You've put her feelings before yours in everything you did. You raised her, and now you deserve your happy ending."

"But that's just it, I don't," Elphaba said as she pulled away.

"Well, you're gonna get it, so you might as well try to enjoy it," the blonde said, gently bumping her hip against her friend's side.

Thankfully, Elphaba cracked a small smile. "Okay."

"Good," Galinda said before flopping down on Elphaba's bed and groaning. "This is so unfair!"

"What is?"

"The fact that I can't help you plan your wedding. It has to be all _traditional_."

Elphaba smiled softly. "Honestly, I don't think I would be able to survive planning a wedding, much less my own."

"I mean, why do the flowers have to be white and gold? It's so… plain. We need some color," Galinda ranted.

"Those are the national colors of the Vinkus," Elphaba answered.

"I know. But they're so… boring! I mean, can't the national colors be pink and… something else? Something exciting! That would be so much better."

"Pink and green?" Elphaba muttered, jokingly.

Galinda, taking her seriously, smiled. "Yes! Exactly!"

The green girl sighed and began to walk out. "I'm going to find Fiyero."

"Elphie, that's brilliant! Pink and green! Those colors go perfectly together!" It took the blonde a while to realize that Elphaba had gone, and when she did, just simply shrugged and continued to talk to herself about the perfect wedding color scheme.

Elphaba wandered through the palace in search of Fiyero. She found him, surprisingly, in the library. "Yero?"

Fiyero looked up and smiled. "Hey." He stood up and walked over to his fiancée and kissed her forehead. "What are you up to?"

"Avoiding Galinda while she talks about wedding colors."

Fiyero frowned slightly. "Did you have your own wedding plans?"

Elphaba scoffed. "Of course not. I never dreamed I would be getting married, so I never even thought about it."

Smiling, Fiyero gently kissed her forehead. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay," Elphaba waved it off. "At least now I don't have to worry about anything. Galinda, on the other hand…"

"We'll never hear the end of it," Fiyero laughed.

"Do you think we could just hide in here until the wedding?"

Fiyero pouted a bit. "There's not much you can do in the library." Smiling, he led Elphaba over to the couch and the couple spent some alone time together. The green girl pulled out a book and laid her head against Fiyero's chest as she read. Fiyero read over her shoulder and smiled, seeing Elphaba wrinkle her nose as she concentrated. Before they knew it, a maid came running in and paused briefly to catch her breath before announcing that dinner was ready.

"There you two are," Amalie said when she saw Fiyero and Elphaba come in.

"We were in the library," Fiyero said sheepishly as he pulled out a chair for Elphaba.

The green girl blushed and whispered a quick 'thank you' as she sat.

"Fiyero? In the library? Elphaba, I don't know what you did, but thank you," Raal chuckled as a servant filled his chalice.

"Dad, I've been going to the library while we were still at Shiz," Fiyero said as he ate.

"Fiyero, don't talk with your mouth full," Amalie gently chided.

"Sorry."

Elphaba smiled as she ate a forkful of rice. Her dinners in Munchkinland had never been this intimate. She was usually ignored or chided by her father, or she was sent to her room without any dinner at all. She knew she was going to love being a part of Fiyero's family.

* * *

As the day of the wedding drew closer, Amalie told Elphaba that it was a Vinkun tradition for the princess-to-be to make an official appearance to the Vinkun people.

"Raal and I will make the official announcement tomorrow, on the main balcony, to all of the Vinkun people," Amalie said to a seemingly un-nervous green girl.

"O-Okay," Elphaba said, suddenly sounding a bit nervous.

"There's nothing to be worried about, dear," Amalie reassured her, gently taking her hand.

 _But I bet none of the past princesses were green_ , Elphaba thought. "It's okay. I'll be alright."

The Queen didn't look convinced, but simply hugged the green girl before walking away, leaving Elphaba alone to her thoughts. She sighed. She had gone to the villages with Fiyero before, but that was when they were simply boyfriend and girlfriend. Although some of them were decent to her, most of the Vinkun people would ignore her, cast her weary glances, or gasp and whisper behind their hands, and it didn't take a scientist to figure out why. She really didn't want to be publically announced like this, but knew the Vinkun people were very serious about their traditions, so she simply conceded. Hopefully, it would be one way to get people to like her would be to be accepting.

That afternoon, she met Fiyero in the foyer, dressed in a simple, long-sleeved purple dress with her hair in a simple braid down her back.

"Ready?" Fiyero smiled as he held out his hand to her.

The green girl smiled. "I guess."

Smiling, Fiyero gently planted a tender kiss on her cheek. "Let's go."

The couple walked up the grand staircase to the room that led to the grand balcony. Amalie and Raal were already outside, addressing the people.

"Loyal Vinkun people," Raal proclaimed in a loud voice. "It is our great to announce that our son, Prince Fiyero, has finally chosen a bride."

The people cheered and applauded.

"I just love it when people clap for me," Fiyero beamed, earning him a gentle jab in the ribs from Elphaba.

"So, without further ado, I present to you your future crowned prince and princess, Prince Fiyero Tigulaar and Miss Elphaba Thropp of Munchkinland!"

Fiyero offered Elphaba his arm, who took it, as they stepped out onto the balcony. Elphaba heard gasps and soon, the collective soft murmurs of everyone flew up to her ears.

"Yero…" she whispered.

"It's okay," Fiyero whispered back, struggling to keep the smile on his face, knowing how much she was hurting. Trying to break some of the tension, he waved to the people.

After a very tense and awkward silence, some of the people began to clap and cheer half-heartedly. Fiyero gave Elphaba's hand a gentle squeeze as the noise from the crowd slowly intensified until almost everyone was clapping and cheering.

"Well, that went well," Fiyero said once all four of them walked back inside.

"They'll warm up to you, Elphaba," Amalie said reassuringly.

"I doubt it," Elphaba said softly. "But thank you."

* * *

The week before the wedding, Nessa and Frex came back to the Vinkus, much to Elphaba's surprise.

"Fabala!" Nessa exclaimed as she saw her sister descend the stairs with Galinda.

Elphaba looked up and her face broke into a confused, yet delighted smile. "Nessa!" The green girl hurried down to meet her sister and knelt down to give her a hug. "I've missed you so much."

"I've missed you too, Fabala, but I'm glad you're happy."

Elphaba smiled, gently pulling away to look at her sister. Her gaze drifted up to her father and she immediately rose to her feet. "Father."

Frex frowned, obviously still upset that Elphaba was getting married. "Elphaba."

Galinda, sensing the tension, clapped her hands twice. "Why don't we all go into the parlor?"

"That sounds nice," Nessa smiled and Elphaba quickly stepped behind her sister and pushed her into the parlor.

Galinda called one of the maids over and told her to bring tea and biscuits into the parlor. Curtsying, the maid quickly disappeared and Galinda walked into the parlor behind her friends and Frex.

Elphaba sat next to her sister in an armchair, talking amicably to her like they had been separated for years and were starting to catch up. Frex sat stiffly on the couch, his blazing eyes never leaving his eldest daughter. Elphaba would sometimes catch her father's gaze and her smile would falter. Nessa would catch on and quickly try to change the subject. Galinda sighed as she tried to think of something to do. The maid returned with the tea and biscuits and Galinda had an idea. Grabbing a teacup, she quickly made her way to Elphaba and sat on her lap, neatly crossing her ankles.

"Glin!" Elphaba exclaimed, frowning slightly at the blonde in her lap.

"Yes?" said-blonde asked innocently, turning slightly to look at the green girl.

Elphaba sighed, but didn't say anything as she sipped her tea. When she looked up to meet her father's gaze, she found that she couldn't see him, thanks to the blonde. She smiled softly when she realized why Galinda was sitting on her lap and continued to converse with her sister.


	4. Chapter 4

**Ultimate Queen of Cliffies: You can the Frex Hunters for another rainy day. I don't think we'll need them from now on.**

 **StamiSprite (Guest): Aww! Thank you! I do love writing Fiyeraba fluff and I'm glad you're enjoying the story!**

* * *

"I don't understand why we have to go to town," Elphaba sighed. It was two days before the wedding, and Fiyero had just informed her of yet another tradition, the princess-to-be informally meeting the Vinkun people. "When did this tradition start?"

"Well… it's not really a tradition as much as it is 'I want to take you to town'," Fiyero said sheepishly.

"Yero…"

"Please, Fae," Fiyero asked as he turned around and gently took Elphaba's hand. "Just this once."

"In two days, we probably won't ever be allowed to leave the palace and go to the town," Elphaba said.

"Well, it's pretty uncommon to spot the official royals in the town, but we're not official yet," Fiyero said in a low voice as he pulled Elphaba into a kiss.

"Mmm," Elphaba hummed against his lips. "Well, I still don't know."

"We'll be back soon. Just a few hours. Please?"

"If I say 'yes', will you stop asking me?" Elphaba asked against Fiyero's lips.

"That's my main goal."

Elphaba chuckled softly and gently pulled away. "Alright. When do we leave?"

"I'm so glad you asked," Fiyero said as he directed Elphaba to a window overlooking the main driveway. A carriage was waiting for them in front of the stairs.

"I'm guessing 'right now'," Elphaba said, turning to look at Fiyero, who simply grinned.

"Yup!"

Elphaba sighed, then went to change her dress and re-braid her hair. When she was ready she met Fiyero in the foyer and they walked out together, hand-in-hand.

When the guard standing by the carriage saw them coming, he bowed and saluted before opening the door for them. Fiyero helped Elphaba in first before nodding to the guard and climbing in.

"Nervous?" Fiyero asked when Elphaba leaned her head against his shoulder.

"No," Elphaba sighed.

The prince simply shrugged and began to play with his fiancée's braid.

"Don't even think about it," Elphaba growled.

"Think about what?" Fiyero asked innocently.

"Taking out my hair."

The prince pouted. "But, Fae, it looks so pretty out."

Elphaba sighed and rolled her eyes, but allowed Fiyero to undo her braid and run his fingers through her hair.

"You look beautiful," he smiled, cupping Elphaba's chin and gently turning towards him.

"Thanks," Elphaba said, blushing slightly.

"You look cute when you blush."

Elphaba blushed even harder, making the prince chuckle. Before they knew it, the carriage stopped and the driver announced their arrival. He stepped down and opened the door, bowing deeply as he did so. Fiyero stepped down first and offered his hand to Elphaba, who gratefully took it as she stepped down.

"Don't worry," he whispered to Elphaba.

Elphaba looked up at the prince and gave him a small smile. "I'm not."

"Not what?"

"Worried."

"Mmhmm," Fiyero hummed, taking her hand and giving it a gentle squeeze.

It didn't take long for people to notice Fiyero's presence and crowd around him. Once they took notice of Elphaba, some people shielded away, while others simply avoided looking at her and pretended she wasn't there.

"Attention, everyone!" Fiyero said as he stood up on the fountain in the center of the town. "I have a big announcement."

"Yero, what are you doing?" Elphaba hissed, staring up at her fiancée.

"Making a big announcement," Fiyero smirked back. "I am very pleased to say that I have chosen a wife!"

"They already know," Elphaba hissed.

He pouted at the green girl. "Shh, Fae! You'll ruin the moment!" He turned back to the people and smiled. "Who is she? Well, I am so glad you asked!" He looked back down at Elphaba, who looked like she wanted to disappear. "I have chosen… Miss Elphaba Melena Thropp of Munchkinland."

"Yero, you. Are. Insane," Elphaba whispered, narrowing her eyes.

"I know. But you love me anyway," the prince chuckled, holding out his hand for her to take.

Elphaba shook her head, but one look at the prince's puppy-dog eyes made her concede and stood up on the fountain next to him. "You're acting like they didn't already know."

"I know. I just wanted to make my big announcement."

"Your logic is _completely_ flawless."

"Why, _thank you_ , Fae."

Elphaba didn't know what she was expecting, but is sort of unnerved her when she saw all the eyes of the Vinkun townspeople on her. She didn't appreciate being stared at like the freak of nature she was.

"Well, that's all I wanted to say. Please carry on," Fiyero said as he stepped down and helped Elphaba down.

Some of the people came over and congratulated the prince, but completely ignored Elphaba, or offered her a curt nod. The green girl tried not to let it bother her, and tried not to let her true emotions show on her face. "That was so embarrassing," she hissed once everyone dispersed.

Fiyero face fell a bit. "I'm sorry, Fae. I thought you would enjoy it."

"I have _never_ liked being the center of attention like that," Elphaba said as she wrapped her arms around her waist. She bowed her head slightly, causing her hair to fall over her face. "I… I just…"

"Do you want to go back?" Fiyero asked gently.

Elphaba nodded, swiftly turning and making to walk away, but stopped when she felt a light tug on her dress. She looked down and saw a little boy, no older than four, with short, blonde hair and bangs, staring up at her with large, curious green eyes.

"Hi," the little boy said, a shy smile on his face.

Elphaba smiled softly and pushed her feelings aside as she knelt down in front of the smile child. "Hi. What's your name?"

"Lyle McGoren," the boy said, shyly locking his hands behind his back.

"And how old are you, Lyle?"

"I'm almost four and a half," Lyle smiled proudly.

Elphaba smiled back. "Is there something you wanted to ask me?"

"Are you really gonna marry Prince Fiyero?" Lyle asked softly.

"I'd hope so," Fiyero muttered, earning him a faux-glare from his fiancée.

"Yes," Elphaba said as she turned back to Lyle. "I am."

Lyle's face lit up. "You're gonna be our new princess!"

Elphaba chuckled softly. "Yes, I will be."

"Will you live in the castle and wear lots of puffy dresses and other girly stuff?"

"Yes to the castle, and… hopefully not to the dresses, but I'm sure I will have to."

Lyle nodded and tilted his head to the side. "Why are you green?" Elphaba stiffened, but Lyle didn't seem to notice. "I like it!"

The green girl looked shocked and blinked. "You… do?"

"Yeah! It's so cool! I've always wanted green skin, but my mama won't let me paint my skin green."

"Lyle!" a female voice called. Elphaba looked up and saw a woman, probably Lyle's mother, hurrying over to them. "Oh, Your Highness," she gasped, noticing Fiyero and quickly curtsying.

"Hello," Fiyero nodded as he watched the woman take Lyle by the hand and pull him away from Elphaba.

The woman noticed the green girl and took a small step back, lowering her gaze. Likewise, Elphaba rose to her feet and took a step closer to Fiyero.

"I… I apologize, Your Highness. I turned my back for one moment and Lyle was gone," Lyle's mother said apologetically to Fiyero.

The prince waved it off. "It's quite alright. He just wanted to talk to Elphaba."

"She's gonna be the princess, Mama!" Lyle said, excitedly tugging on his mother's hand.

"Yes, sweetheart, I know," she said, a bit tightly. "Excuse us, please."

"Bye-bye!" Lyle waved over his shoulder as his mother dragged him away.

Elphaba smiled and gave the little boy a small wave.

"See? Not everyone judges you harshly because of your skin," Fiyero whispered with a smile.

Elphaba sighed. "He's just a child."

"A child who wants to be like you."

Elphaba scoffed. "He thinks it would be 'cool' to have green skin."

"And what if he's right?"

Elphaba looked at him. "What?"

"My point is that you're beautiful, green skin and all. I know the reaction of the Vinkun people might have set us back in the 'convince Fae that she's beautiful' plan, but we'll get back on track soon."

Elphaba rolled her eyes. "Uh-huh."

"I will. I promise," Fiyero said as he wrapped his arm around Elphaba. "What do you say we go back now?"

"Sure."

When the couple got back to the castle, Elphaba was immediately attacked by maids and the wedding dress designer and her assistants. She sighed as she was dragged away to take last minute measurements.

"Oh, Elphie. It's not so bad," Galinda said as she watched her friend mope around her room.

The dress fitting had just ended and Elphaba had promptly shooed everyone out of the room, except for her best friend and sister. "I hate this," she moaned as she flopped down onto her bed.

Nessa wheeled over and softly patted her sister's knee. "It will all be over soon, Fabala."

Elphaba sighed. "I know. I just hate it when people make a fuss over me."

"Well, prepare to be fussed over for the rest of your life, Miss Crowned-Princess-to-be," Galinda giggled.

Elphaba groaned. "Great. And I don't even know what the dress looks like."

"I'm sure it won't be so bad, Fabala. They'll make you a beautiful dress," Nessa said softly.

"That's the problem. They'll make me a beautiful dress."

Galinda and Nessa exchanged a look. "What?"

"They'll make this beautiful wedding dress… and it will be wasted on me."

"Elphie, don't think like that. We've been over this. You. Are. Beautiful," Galinda said as she gripped her friend's hands.

"Glin…"

"Elphie, so help me, if you even think about arguing, I will find some way to mix a pink color scheme into this wedding."

Elphaba sighed, but smiled softly, and the blonde smiled back.

"And you'll be helping rule the Vinkus one day," Nessa said, trying to distract her sister.

"And make sure Fiyero doesn't make a mess out of it," Elphaba chuckled softly.

"Hey! I heard that!"

The girls looked up and saw Fiyero standing in the doorway, pouting. "You think I'm hopeless, don't you?"

"No, not _really_ hopeless," Elphaba teased, standing up and walking over to Fiyero.

"I happen to think that I will make a great king," Fiyero said proudly.

"Mmhmm," Elphaba said, rising to her toes and lightly kissing Fiyero's nose.

"Well, I just came in here to tell you that my parents wanted to talk to you."

"About the wedding?"

"How did you guess?"

"That's what everyone wants to talk to me about lately," Elphaba said, massaging her temple. "If I had known how much energy all of this was going to take…"

Fiyero smiled sympathetically. "I know you're stressed, Fae. Tell you what; when you're done talking with my parents, meet me in the library."

Elphaba gave the prince a weary look.

"It's nothing over-the-top. I promise."

Elphaba sighed and nodded. "Okay."

Fiyero watched as his fiancée walked out of the room and disappeared down the hall. "Will she be alright?" he asked, looking from the blonde to the brunette.

"She'll be fine," Galinda said softly. "You know how Elphie is. She just hates big parties, especially ones that are for her."

"She'll get used to it," Nessa said. "Fabala's good at adapting."

"I hope so," Fiyero whispered as he left the room.

* * *

 **Yes, we will see more of Lyle again because he's so cute and I wrote more of him in the later chapters.**


	5. Chapter 5

**My little wicked (Guest): Nope, sorry. Lyle's parents aren't gonna die so Elphaba and Fiyero can adopt him.**

 **Ultimate Queen of Cliffies: Great! You can help with the "convince Fae she's beautiful" plan. The more people we have, the better.**

* * *

"Today's the day! Today's the day! Today's the big, big day!" Galinda sang one mid-September morning as she pranced around the Elphaba's room.

"Glin, it's still early, and the wedding isn't until noon. Now, will you please stop being my personal, unwanted alarm clock?" Elphaba muttered, opening one eye to glare at the blonde.

"Oh." Galinda immediately stopped jumping. "I'm sorry, Elphie."

Elphaba sighed as she sat up and stretched. "No, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have snapped at you like that, no matter how stressed and tired I am."

The blonde smiled softly and walked over to her best friend. "You should go back to sleep. You still have some time."

As soon as Elphaba's head hit the pillow, she was awoken again by a knock at the door.

"Come in," Galinda called.

The door opened and one of the maids walked in. "Good morning, Miss Galinda. It is time for Miss Elphaba to prepare for the wedding."

Elphaba groaned quietly, her eyes remaining closed. "Already?"

The maid smiled softly. "Yes, Miss."

Galinda gently coaxed her friend awake. "This is it, Elphie."

"I guess it is," the green girl sighed as she opened her eyes and allowed her best friend to help her up. Once she had put her robe on, Galinda promptly pushed her out the room and down to the dining room.

When they got there, they saw Amalie sitting alone at the table, already dressed in a dark purple ball gown with long sleeves, an intricate black lace pattern, a full skirt, and a sash tied around her waist, sipping a cup of tea. When she heard footsteps, she looked up and smiled. "Good morning, Elphaba. Galinda."

"Good morning," Elphaba said, trying to smile as she hid a yawn behind her hand.

"I apologize for waking you up early, but there's a lot to prepare for," Amalie said as she stood up and pulled out a chair for Elphaba. "I have asked the cook to prepare you a light breakfast."

"Thank you," Elphaba smiled.

The maids came into the dining room and served Elphaba a few small muffins, a cup of mixed fruit. Elphaba munched on the muffins and sipped her tea, not saying anything, or not knowing what _to_ say.

"I hope you're not terribly hungry, dear," Amalie said apologetically. "If you had a big breakfast, on top of the nerves, it wouldn't end so pleasantly."

"It's alright," Elphaba said, eating her last strawberry. "But… where's Nessa?"

"She's still sleeping. We'll wake her up soon," Amalie said.

Elphaba nodded. "And Fiyero?"

Galinda gasped and lightly slapped her friend's arm. "Elphie, you know good and well that it's bad luck for the groom to see the bride before the wedding."

Elphaba rolled her eyes. "Of course. How silly of me."

Amalie smiled. "Actually, that's only part of the reason you can't see Fiyero until the wedding. The other part is that Fiyero is doing official work with Raal all morning. It's part of the process for him before being officiated as the Crown Prince of the Vinkus."

"I thought he was already the Crown Prince?" Galinda asked.

"By birth, he is, but his title doesn't officially kick in until he's married."

"Oh."

"So, he'll be busy all morning?" Elphaba questioned, sounding slightly disappointed.

"You'll be busy all morning, too, Elphie," Galinda pointed out with a smile.

"Galinda's right. There's so much to prepare for," Amalie said, nodding to the maids to clear the table as she stood and held out her hand to the green girl. "Come."

Elphaba stood and walked with Amalie and Galinda back to her room, where the makeup artist, hairstylist and dresser, along with a few maids, were waiting to help her get ready.

"Alright, Miss Elphaba, let's get you ready," the makeup artist said as she sat Elphaba down and began to do her makeup.

Galinda and Amalie watched as the makeup artist mixed the makeup to compliment Elphaba's skin tone while the stylist simultaneously curled her hair.

"You look beautiful, Elphie," Galinda smiled, looking at Elphaba through the mirror. All the green girl had allowed the makeup artist to add was a bit of dark purple eye shadow, blush, and lip gloss, willing to compromise, but threatening to hex her if she tried to add anything more.

"Thanks," the green girl blushed, looking up at her friend.

Once the stylist was done curling Elphaba hair and styling it into an elegant braided bun with half of her raven hair falling down her back, everyone except for Galinda was shooed out of the room so Elphaba could put on her underclothes.

"Elphie, suck in your stomach!" Galinda said as she struggled to tie the corset.

"I am!" Elphaba huffed.

"Suck in more!"

After a while of grunting and shouting, Elphaba was finally secured in the corset.

"How do you feel?" Galinda asked, gently patting her friend's shoulder.

"It won't matter how I feel… if I die because I can't breathe," Elphaba said, slowly trying to inhale. "Why do I have to wear this cursed thing anyway?"

"Elphie, all ladies wear corsets."

"So, this dress was designed to fit me only if I'm wearing a corset?"

"You'll look stunning."

Elphaba grumbled something under her breath as she put on her bathrobe and walked into the dressing room, where everyone was waiting. The dress was covered with a linen sheet, obviously waiting to be revealed.

"Good morning, Nessie," the green girl smiled when she saw her sister.

The younger Thropp smiled back. "Good morning, Fabala. Are you ready?" she asked excitedly.

Elphaba forced a smile. "I am."

"Elphie, don't worry. It's normal to feel nervous," Galinda said as she rubbed her friend's arm.

"I'll take your word for it."

"Your Majesty, ladies, may I present, the new royal wedding dress!" the designer said as she proudly unveiled the dress.

The Queen gasped and covered her mouth with her hand. Galinda's eyes widened and her face broke into a huge smile. "Elphie…"

"Fabala, it's beautiful," Nessa said, near tears.

The dress was a pure white, strapless, lace gown, with a transparent, lace sleeves over it. The bodice and skirt had a very intricate rose petal design running down it, with a very long train trailing behind it.

Everyone looked to Elphaba, waiting to see her reaction. The green girl simply stood stiff and blinked a few times.

"What do you think, Elphaba?" Amalie asked, noticing the green girl's silence.

"I… I can't wear this," Elphaba said, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Is it not to your liking?" the designer asked, somewhat alarmed.

"N-No, it's… beautiful," Elphaba reassured her.

"But?" Galinda asked, sensing more.

"That's just it. That's the reason I can't wear it."

"The reason you can't…"

"It's too beautiful. A beautiful gown like this shouldn't be wasted on someone like… me."

Galinda quickly wiped away a tear from Elphaba's eye and quickly pulled her into a hug. "Excuse us for a clock tick, please," she said as she ushered Elphaba out of the room and closed the door behind them. "Elphie?"

"I can't wear that dress, Glin."

"Elphie, it was designed just for you. It's perfect. Like I said before, you'll look stunning in that dress. Fiyero won't know what hit him."

Elphaba turned away slightly, but Galinda turned her back. "Elphie, you can do this. You're beautiful, inside and out. And when you put on that dress, you'll make Fiyero drop dead."

Elphaba, despite herself, smiled slightly. "Really?"

"Well, hopefully he doesn't die, 'cause that would be pretty bad," Galinda said, thoughtfully tilting her head to the side and giggling. "Are you ready to go back inside?"

"… Yeah… I guess so," Elphaba said, slowly nodding.

Galinda smiled and wrapped her arm around her friend's shoulders as they walked back inside. "We're ready now."

The designer looked at Elphaba, who gave her a reassuring smile. She smiled back, understanding the green girl's reaction, and helped her into the dress.

"You look beautiful," Amalie smiled once Elphaba was dressed.

Elphaba looked at her reflection and gasped softly. The dress fit her perfectly. She turned to the side and admired the long train behind her.

"Do you like it?" Nessa asked.

"It's… beautiful," Elphaba whispered, tearing up again.

"No crying! You're not allowed to cry! It'll mess up your makeup!" Galinda chided gently.

Elphaba chuckled softly and accepted the tissue from the blonde to gently wipe her eyes.

"You look beautiful, my dear," Amalie smiled. She turned around. "Could you give us a moment, please?"

Galinda nodded and wheeled Nessa out, followed by everyone else, leaving the queen and the princess-to-be alone.

"I wanted to give you something," Amalie said as she walked towards a small table in the corner of the room and grabbed an ornate, wooden box.

Elphaba looked at the box curiously as Amalie opened it, revealing a beautiful diamond necklace and matching diamond earrings. "They're… beautiful," she whispered.

"They were my great-grandmother's," Amalie explained and she helped the young bride fasten the necklace around her neck and handed her the earrings. "They have been past down from the generations to the crown-princess-to-be to wear on her wedding day."

"Thank you," Elphaba whispered, lightly touching the large diamond on the necklace.

"And this," Amalie said as she gingerly took a tiara with a veil attached to it, from the table and placed it in Elphaba's hair. "Was also hers, also passed down."

Elphaba looked at herself in the mirror. She had to admit, if it weren't for the green, she looked beautiful.

"Are you ready?" Amalie asked, placing a hand on Elphaba's shoulder.

The green girl turned around and nodded. "Yes."

Amalie smiled as she draped the veil over Elphaba's face. Arm and arm, the two walked out of the palace to the waiting carriages. Raal was waiting, wearing a dark blue suit and a matching royal cape with the Vinkun coat of arms on it.

"You look beautiful, Elphaba," Raal smiled as Elphaba stepped down with Amalie.

"Thank you," Elphaba blushed.

"Fiyero is already at the church. I know he can't wait to see you."

Elphaba blushed even harder.

"We'll see you at the church, dear," Amalie said as she gave Elphaba a kiss on the cheek and walked with her husband to the first carriage.

Elphaba watched as the carriage drove away. The other carriages followed close behind, Galinda and Nessa waving excitedly to the princess-to-be as their carriage drove away. After they left, a very ornate, golden carriage, pulled by four white stallions, pulled up. Taking a deep breath, Elphaba walked over and, accepting the hand of the guard, stepped into the carriage. A whistle and the carriage took off.

* * *

 ***Wedding bells chime in distance* Almost, everyone. Almost.**

 **The picture of Elphaba's wedding dress is on my blog.**


	6. Chapter 6

**LifelongLeahstar: She turns dark green.**

 **Doglover645: Something bad? Maybe. Or maybe we have a while to go. And was it a reference? I didn't mean for it to be, but if it is, well… I am the Queen, after all.**

* * *

Elphaba tried to get her nerves to ebb away, but as the large church came into view, she found herself becoming nervous again. What if something went wrong? What if Fiyero began to have second thoughts about marrying her? What if her father kidnapped her and dragged her back to Munchkinland? The green girl was forced to push away all of those thoughts as she felt the carriage come to a stop. She looked out the window and saw all the people who had come just to see her and Fiyero. She saw Raal, Amalie, Galinda and Cally standing at the door of the church, all smiling.

She mentally prepared herself. There was no turning back now. She was going to marry Fiyero. She was pulled from her thoughts as one of the guards opened the door and saluted to her before offering her his hand. Elphaba accepted the hand offered to her and gracefully stepped down for the carriage. As she did so, she heard the cheers of the Vinkun people. She looked up and smiled, seeing them waving flags and waving to her. She shyly waved back, causing an even greater uproar. Galinda walked down the steps of the church and quickly, yet gracefully, walked over to the green girl.

"You look beautiful," she smiled, gently taking the green girl's hands and kissing her cheek.

"Thank you," Elphaba smiled as the blonde handed her her bouquet.

Giggling, Galinda stepped behind the emerald woman and held her train so it wouldn't drag. Slowly, Elphaba began to walk across the dark blue carpet to the church, her eyes never leaving Raal and Amalie. She slowly ascended the steps, lifting up the skirt of her dress slightly as she did so.

Once she reached the doorway, Raal and Amalie turned and walked inside the church. Elphaba waited in the foyer, the grand doors closing behind her. She exhaled slowly, feeling more nervous than ever.

"Elphie?" Galinda whispered, placing a comforting hand on her friend's shoulder. "Are you alright?"

"Mmhmm," Elphaba hummed, her eyes closed.

"Just think, in a few hours, you're going to be a princess."

"I'm going to be a princess," Elphaba repeated subconsciously, then realized what she had just said. "Oh sweet Oz, I'm going to be a _princess_."

Galinda smiled. "Yes, you are. And you're going to be fine."

"Elphaba."

The girls turned around and Elphaba stiffened. Her father. She knew he was going to be there, if not as her father, than as a dignitary.

"I'll give you two some time alone," Galinda said as she stepped away.

Elphaba turned to give the blonde a pleading look, but she was already gone. She turned back to her father. Was she supposed to say something? She didn't want to talk to him. And she hoped he didn't want to talk to her.

"You look… nice," Frex managed to say after a long and awkward pause.

"Thank you," Elphaba nodded.

Frex nodded and looked away. He looked back at his daughter, who was gazing out the window overlooking the gardens. "I'm… happy… for you."

Elphaba turned around and narrowed her eyes slightly. She nodded, but didn't say anything. She knew he was lying.

"I…" Frex began, but was interrupted by the grand Vinkun wedding march beginning to play. He looked like he wanted to say more, but simply settled for dutifully offering Elphaba his arm.

The green girl frowned slightly, but took her father's arm as the double doors opened and they began to walk inside. She was acutely aware of the invited guests, mostly dignitaries of some providence and Fiyero's extended family, staring at her, oohing and ahhing at how beautiful she looked in her dress. She looked straight ahead at Fiyero, whose back was facing her. He wore the official, white, crowned prince uniform with a golden sash. His gloved hands were locked behind his back as he patiently waited for Elphaba to reach the altar.

Once Elphaba and her father reached the altar, she turned towards him and gave him a small, superficial smile, if not for herself, then for the people watching. Frex returned the smile and leaned forward to kiss her cheek. Elphaba took two steps forward and she and Fiyero turned to face each other. She could tell Fiyero was fighting to keep his mouth from dropping open. As he gingerly unveiled Elphaba, she blushed furiously, causing him to chuckle.

'You look beautiful,' Fiyero mouthed to his soon-to-be wife.

Elphaba looked up and smiled. 'Thank you,' she mouthed back.

They both turned towards the priest as the music stopped.

"Dearly beloved," the priest began. "We are gathered here today…"

Elphaba stole a glance at Fiyero and could tell that he was only half-paying attention to the priest's speech about the holiness of marriage.

"Will you, Fiyero Liir Magnus, take this woman, Elphaba Melena, to be your lawfully wedded wife? Will you love her, comfort and keep her, and forsaking all others, remain true to her as long as you both shall live?"

"I will," Fiyero answered in a strong, confident voice.

"Will you, Elphaba Melena, take this man, Fiyero Liir Magnus, to be your lawfully wedded husband? Will you love him, comfort and keep him, and forsaking all others, remain true to him as long as you both shall live?"

"I will," Elphaba answered.

"Who giveth this woman to be married to this man?"

Frex gently took Elphaba right hand and gave it to the priest before taking his seat. The priest, in turn, gave it to Fiyero.

"Repeat after me, please. I, Fiyero Liir Magnus," the priest said, giving the prince a gentle smile.

"I, Fiyero Liir Magnus," Fiyero repeated, gazing deeply into Elphaba's chocolate eyes.

"Take thee, Elphaba Melena..."

"Take thee, Elphaba Melena…"

"To be my lawfully wedded wife."

"To be my lawfully wedded wife."

"To have and to hold from this day forward…"

"To have and to hold from this day forward…"

"For better or for worse…"

"For better or for worse…"

"For richer or for poorer…"

"For richer or for poorer…"

"In sickness and in health…"

"In sickness and in health…"

"To love and to cherish…"

"To love and to cherish…"

"'Till death to us part…"

"'Till death to us part…"

"And thereto, I give you my thoth."

"And thereto, I give you my thoth."

Elphaba repeated her vows after the priest and once she was finished, turned back towards him. The priest blessed the rings and handed the first one to Fiyero.

"With this ring, I thee wed," Fiyero said as he slipped the golden band onto Elphaba's ring finger.

He handed the second one to Elphaba.

"With this ring, I thee wed," Elphaba said as she slipped the ring onto Fiyero's finger.

The turned back to the priest and knelt before him.

"By the power vested in me, I now declare that you be husband and wife," the priest said. He blessed them and their marriage and a hymn was sung before they stood.

Fiyero offered Elphaba his arm, who gladly accepted it, and they walked to sit on the side and listen to the priest deliver a sermon. Elphaba had to nudge Fiyero multiple times to keep him from falling asleep. Once it was over, the newly weds stood up and walked behind the door on the right behind the altar for the traditional Vinkun marriage walk. When they emerged from the left door, they waited for the drumroll before walking down. After the drumroll, a beautiful, upbeat recessional began to play and they began to walk down. They stopped in front of Fiyero's parents and Elphaba and Fiyero curtsied and bowed, respectively, to the king and queen before continuing down the aisle. Both had huge smiles on their faces as they walked past the dignitaries and invited guests. Elphaba felt Fiyero gently squeeze her hand and she squeezed back, allowing herself to relax a bit. This was it. She was finally married to the love of her life.

When they reached the church doors, they were greeted with the cheers and waves of the Vinkun people, all eager to see their new princess.

"Present arms!" the captain of the Vinkun guard called.

The line of soldiers on both sides of the carpet drew their swords and held them at a diagonal above their heads.

"And now, presenting their royal highnesses, Prince Fiyero Liir Tigulaar and Princess Elphaba Melena Tigulaar, Crown Prince and Princess of the Vinkus!" the captain proclaimed in a loud voice.

The crowd cheered even louder, waving little Vinkun flags as they did so. Fiyero smiled as he turned towards Elphaba and drew her into their first kiss as husband and wife.

"Were you supposed to do that?" Elphaba asked when they pulled away, smiling.

"We're married now," Fiyero said, flashing her one of his lopsided grins.

Galinda came forward and lifted Elphaba's train for her. Once she was in place, the newly weds continued their walk down the steps.

The grand bells of the church rang and filled the sky with harmonious music. The sun shined down on them and Elphaba couldn't help but smile. She never dreamed she could be this happy. Now that she had Fiyero, she guessed that anything was possible.

An open-top, ornate carriage pulled by two white stallions pulled up once Elphaba and Fiyero reached the bottom of the steps. Fiyero climbed in first and the guard, along with Galinda, helped Elphaba inside. Once they were both settled, the guard closed the door and saluted. Fiyero saluted back and the carriage pulled off for the ride back to the castle.

"Hi, Princess Elphaba of the Vinkus," Fiyero smiled, wrapping his arm around Elphaba's waist.

"Hi," Elphaba sighed happily.

The crowd cheered as they passed and Fiyero and Elphaba waved to them. The green girl smiled as she saw children waving flags and throwing flowers in front of the carriage.

"You look beautiful," Fiyero smiled, kissing Elphaba's cheek.

"Thank you. You look handsome," Elphaba grinned.

The prince smiled and kissed her cheek. His gaze shifted upward and he smiled. "Look up."

Elphaba looked up and gasped, seeing doves flying overhead in a diamond formation. "Another tradition?"

"Maybe."

Finally, the couple reached the castle. A guard stepped up to them and opened the door.

"Your Highnesses," he bowed, assisting Elphaba down.

Fiyero climbed out of the carriage next and saluted to the guard before walking inside with Elphaba, the guard holding her train. The doors opened for them and Fiyero led Elphaba up the stairs and into the room with the main balcony. They waited for Raal and Amalie to return before going walking through the clear, double doors. As soon as they stepped out, cheers erupted from the people.

"They're cheering for you," Fiyero whispered to his wife.

Elphaba looked up at him and smiled. "You think so?"

"I know so," Fiyero smiled as he kissed her again.

They stayed on the balcony and waved for a while before returning inside, exhausted, but still giddy with excitement. Raal and Amalie decided to go downstairs for some tea, while Elphaba and Fiyero chose to go to their room.

"This is it," Fiyero smiled.

"This is it," Elphaba repeated with a small sigh.

"And now, I finally get to do this," Fiyero smiled as he lifted Elphaba into his arms and kissed her passionately.

"Yero!" Elphaba gasped, but her protests quickly dissolved in her throat as she melted into the kiss. "What was that for?"

"Because I love you and now, I get to spend the rest of my life with you," Fiyero answered simply.

Elphaba rolled her eyes. "Can you please put me down now?"

"No."

Elphaba raised an eyebrow. "No? And why not?"

"Because it's a tradition that I have to carry you through our bedroom threshold."

Elphaba rolled her eyes again and sighed. "Fine."

The prince chuckled as he carried Elphaba into the bedroom and laid her on top of the bed. "I love you."

"I love you, too," Elphaba whispered softly, kissing her husband.

* * *

 **Yes! Finally the Fiyeraba wedding! I can finally call Fiyero and Elphaba "husband and wife" without it being a mistake.**

 **In other exciting news, my mom and I are going to see… *drumroll* Willemijn Verkaik! AHHH! THIS IS NOT A DRILL! I REPEAT, THIS. IS. NOT. A. DRILL! We're seeing her at her 54 Below concert at the end of August. I can wait to finally meet her after two years of wanting to!**


	7. Chapter 7

A week later, things began to calm down for the new royal couple. There was still a lot of press coverage still going around, but they all respected the new crown princess' privacy.

Elphaba was alone in the parlor, a book in her lap as she sipped a cup of tea. Galinda had gone back to the Gillikin with a promise to write and keep Elphaba posted on all of the parties she would attend. Nessa and Frex had gone back to Munchkinland after Nessa had spoken to her sister and reassured her that she would be fine without her constantly around. Elphaba had finally conceded and gave her sister a long goodbye hug. Frex simply gave her a nod of acknowledgement and stepped behind Nessa's chair and pushed her out the door.

The green girl was pulled from her book when she heard someone lightly clear their throat and she looked up to see Amalie.

"Sorry, I didn't want to startle you," Amalie said as she walked into the room.

Elphaba took off her reading glasses and rubbed her eyes. "It's alright. I was just reading."

Amalie smiled as she took a seat across from the green girl. "How are you feeling?"

Elphaba sighed. "I went from being a nursemaid to a princess, and honestly, I didn't know what to expect. It's different, yes, but I think I'll be okay. Why do you ask?"

"Well, the wedding was a week ago, and I was thinking… if you are ready, of course…"

"Ready for what?" Now Elphaba was confused, and she straightened a bit in her chair.

"About starting some of your royal duties."

Elphaba blinked. She actually hadn't thought about her duties as a princess. "Um… sure. Okay."

"If you're not ready…"

"No, it's alright. I just never really thought about it before. What do I have to do?"

Amalie bit her lip, but softened slightly when she saw the reassuring smile the emerald girl was giving her. "Well, as the crown princess, it's a tradition that you chose an organization to sponsor."

"What kind of organization?"

"It could be anything. Something that's personal to you and you're very passionate about."

Elphaba thought for a moment. "I… nothing comes to mind."

The Queen looked down at the book in the green girl's lap. "What about a reading program? Getting children into reading. You love to read."

"Fae loves books," Fiyero said as he walked into the room and sat on the arm of Elphaba's chair.

"Yero, were you eavesdropping?" Elphaba asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Maybe," the prince shrugged. "At Shiz, I was certain that if Elphaba didn't marry me, she would marry one of her books instead."

Growling, Elphaba slapped her husband's arm, hard, with her book, causing him to fall off the chair and onto the floor, clutching his arm. "Ow! Geez, Fae, I was kidding!"

"Mmhmm," Elphaba hummed.

The prince quickly got to his feet and reclaimed his place on the armrest. "So, a reading program? Where Fae would travel around the Vinkus reading books to little children and…" He was effectively cut off by his wife pushing him off the chair. He landed on his rear end with a soft thump and pouted up at Elphaba, who smiled innocently at him.

"Or I could just support schools in general," Elphaba said as she turned back to Amalie.

The Queen smiled. "That would be a very nice idea, Elphaba. I'll go inform Raal of your decision." And with that, Amalie rose to her feet and left the parlor.

* * *

As the weeks dragged on, Elphaba found herself becoming more and more busy. She rarely had time for herself, seeing as everyone wanted to speak to her about this or that. During her visits, Cally noticed that Elphaba seemed on edge and cringed every time someone said, "Your Highness."

"Elphaba, is something wrong?" Cally asked when she saw Elphaba sitting on the couch.

Elphaba looked up at the duchess and sighed. "No, I'm fine."

"Your Highness!"

Elphaba cringed and leaned her forehead against her fisted hands. "Maybe if I just sit here, I'll disappear."

Cally chuckled as Harv, the castle steward, hurried into the room. "Ah, Your Highness, there you are."

Elphaba forced a small smile. "Hello, Harv."

The middle-aged steward stood a bit taller than Elphaba, his greying hair combed behind his ears and glasses perched on his nose. He always carried around a notebook and a pencil and was constantly writing down dates, time and schedules for meetings. "The King would like to speak in his study with you about your plans concerning the schools."

Elphaba sighed softly and rose to her feet. "I'm coming."

"Thank you, Your Highness," Harv bowed as he followed the princess out of the room.

"Harv, would it be possible to clear Elphaba's schedule tomorrow afternoon?" Cally asked while Elphaba was meeting with Raal.

Harv checked his notebook and frowned slightly. Elphaba had a booked afternoon. "Well… I…"

"I know she's been very busy lately, and she still is, and she's getting very stressed. I would like to have a quiet tea in the gardens, just the two of us to talk to her."

"I will see what I can do, My Lady," Harv said as he bowed.

The Duchess smiled. "Thank you, Harv."

The next afternoon, Elphaba was surprised when Cally came into her bedroom and told her to close her eyes and follow her. Though resistant at first, Elphaba soon found herself being guided down the long hallways of the castle.

"Can I open my eyes now?" Elphaba asked once they came to a halt outside.

Cally giggled. "Yes, you can open your eyes now."

Elphaba opened her eyes and gasped, seeing a tea party setting in the gardens. "What…"

"I had a feeling you were stressed out by all of your new royal duties, so I decided that you needed a break."

Elphaba looked at her cousin-in-law and smiled. "Thank you, Cally."

"You're welcome. Shall we?"

The two women sat down and helped themselves to tea and cake. Elphaba talked about how much she missed Galinda and her sister. Cally filled her in on other things Elphaba would have to do as the crown princess to limit the unwanted surprises she would have.

"Then there's the annual celebration of the royal family in the spring, right after the spring festival."

"What's that?"

"A celebration of the anniversary of Raal and Amalie's rise to the throne. This year, it's the jubilee celebration of their twenty-fifth year of ruling."

"What will I have to do?"

"Well, there's a parade you'll have to be in. And then stand on a stage and look pretty."

Elphaba blinked. "So, basically, I'm going to be on display?"

Cally shifted her weight a bit. "Only for a short time. And you might have to give a speech."

"A speech about what?"

"I don't know. It's different every year. There's also the chance that you might not have to give one."

"Do I get to chose what the speech is about?"

"I think you do. I know you don't get lots of options as Vinkun royalty, but there are some things that you get to decide on your own."

Elphaba sighed. "Alright."

"I'm sorry, Elphaba. I didn't mean to stress you out more. That wasn't the point of me bringing you here."

"It's alright. I'm a walking stress-machine," Elphaba said, rubbing her eyes. "I'm feeling a bit tired. I think I'll go lay down. Thank you for tea."

Cally nodded as Elphaba stood and walked back into the castle. She didn't know how to make the emerald girl feel better. But she knew she had to do it before it all became too much for her.

Elphaba walked down the halls, trapped in her silent musings. She knew Cally was only trying to make her feel better and more prepared, but it didn't work. She now felt even more worked up after hearing everything she had to do. She was so lost in her own thoughts, she didn't notice one of the maids coming towards her until she bumped into her and caused her to drop the clean, folded towels she was carrying.

"Oh, pardon me, Your Highness," the young maid exclaimed, quickly curtsying before kneeling to pick up the towels.

"No, it's my fault," Elphaba said as she knelt to help the maid.

"Your Highness, you don't have to…"

Elphaba gently held up her hand to stop her. "It's alright. Like I said, it was my fault. I wasn't paying attention to where I was going. I was… thinking."

The maid looked like she wanted to ask what she was thinking about, but held her tongue, knowing it wasn't her place to ask such a question. The towels were all refolded and Elphaba helped the maid to her feet before handing her the towels.

"Thank you, Your Highness," the maid said as she curtsied and walked down the hall.

Elphaba turned and watched her go, smiling softly, before walking in the opposite direction.

"Wait!" Elphaba called.

The maid quickly turned around. "Your Highness?"

"I… I didn't get your name."

The maid smiled a soft, toothy smile. "Aya."


	8. Chapter 8

**OMO, you guys! Today, August 3rd, is my second fanficiversary! That's right! I have been officially writing fanfics on this site for two years! Let's have a celebration the Glinda way!**

 **Also, I have reached 100 author followers! Thank you all so much for your support! I really appreciate it!**

* * *

"Your Highness, are you almost ready?"

Elphaba tied her hair tie around the end of her braid to hold it in place and smoothed out the skirt of her dress before stepping out of her room. Today was the day she was going to a school in one of the villages to read to the children. "I'm ready."

Harv nodded and scribbled something down in his notebook. "The carriage is waiting downstairs. And…" He handed Elphaba a warm, cotton coat. "It's getting colder."

Elphaba nodded as she took the coat. "Thank you."

"Do you have everything you need?"

Elphaba nodded. All she needed were her reading glasses, which were safely tucked away in her dress pocket.

"Excellent."

Elphaba followed Harv down the hallway and down the grand staircase to the foyer, where Fiyero was waiting patiently for his wife to say goodbye.

"Have fun, Fae," Fiyero said, smiling as he gently pulled Elphaba into a kiss. "Don't forget to come back."

Elphaba pushed away from her husband and playfully rolled her eyes. "Of course I won't forget to come back."

"Okay. Good. Just making sure."

Elphaba gave Fiyero one last kiss before turning and walking out the door to the waiting carriage. The prince watched as his wife was helped into the carriage by the guard who would be accompanying her and it took off. He smiled and waved until it was out of sight, sighing softly.

Elphaba sat in silence as she watched the passing scenery whiz by. Before she knew it, the carriage stopped and the footman came to open up the door. Elphaba gratefully accepted the hand offered to her and stepped down. A woman with her reddish hair tied in a bun and a simple, brown dress hurry out of the school and towards her.

"Your Highness," she curtsied as she went to meet Elphaba. "It's a pleasure to host you. I am Naja Iasly, the head teacher here at the Young Vinkus Academy."

Elphaba nodded and followed Naja inside, the guard trailing behind. "Are you the only teacher?"

Naja paused briefly before nodding. "Yes, and I have students from ages six to sixteen in the class."

Elphaba's eyes widened. "Is it difficult to teach like that?"

Naja smiled softly. "At times, yes, but it's nothing too much."

Elphaba nodded, making a mental note to fix the schooling system.

"Children, Her Royal Highness, Princess Elph-" Naja started, but didn't get to finish before the younger children gasped and ran towards the princess.

The guard grunted softly, but wasn't heard over the students' excited chattering. Elphaba stiffened, but quickly relaxed and smiled softly as the children crowded around her, but Naja looked horrified. "Children, manners!"

The children immediately stepped back and curtsied or bowed to the princess, muttering apologies.

"Children, Her Royal Highness has graciously agreed to give up her time to come and read to you all, and I will not stand for such disrespect," Naja scowled. She turned back to Elphaba and forced a smile. "I'm terribly sorry, Your Highness. I told them –"

"It's alright," Elphaba interrupted lightly. She turned back to the children. "Now, which book should we read first?"

One of the little girls smiled and ran to get a book. "This one, please," she said, handing the book to Elphaba.

The green girl smiled as she took the book from the young girl, put on her reading glasses, and went to sit in a chair that had obviously been set up for her. After finishing the first book, she soon found herself reading two more books. In the middle of reading the third book, she noticed that the older kids weren't interested in the children's books. They looked bored, but tried to remain as respectful as they possibly could.

When Elphaba finished the third book, one of the younger boys was already ready with a forth. Naja laughed softly and informed the children that it was time to get back to their studies.

"If it's alright with you, I'd like to stay and observe the rest of the class," Elphaba said as she stood.

"Your Highness, we must be getting back now," the guard said in a soft voice.

"Surely we could stay for a few more minutes. After all, it will be my job to help improve our school systems," Elphaba smiled, turning back to Naja. "If it's alright with you, of course."

Naja looked surprised, but quickly nodded. "Of course, Your Highness."

The guard didn't look happy, but couldn't do or say anything more to protest. Elphaba watched silently in the corner as Naja gave the younger students a spelling lesson. She was pulled from the lesson by a frustrated noise coming from the other side of the classroom.

A group of four students, two boys and two girls, were sitting together in a cluster, bent over their work.

"This is so hard," one of the boys complained.

"I don't know what I'm doing. This is impossible," one of the girls said, putting her pencil down and rubbing her eyes.

"Maybe we should ask Miss Iasly for help," the other girl said shyly.

"No, she's busy with the younger kids. She won't come over here and help us. She never does," the other boys said, starting to doodle on his paper.

Elphaba walked over to the group and smiled. "Maybe I can help."

The students looked up and gasped softly. "Y-Your Highness?"

Elphaba pulled up a chair next to the cluster and sat down. "What are your names?"

"M-Mallis," the first boy said.

"Kye," the second boy whispered.

"Emaly," the first girl said.

"M-Melicity," the second girl said, slowly lifting her gaze to meet the princess'.

Elphaba smiled. "What are you all having trouble with?"

"Math," Kye said, handing his sheet to Elphaba.

Elphaba scanned the paper over and smiled softly. "In triangle ABC, if angle 'A' is one hundred three degrees, side 'a' is eighteen inches, and angle 'B' is forty-seven degrees, and the measure of side 'c' is fifteen inches, complete the triangle," she read. She looked back up at the students, who all looked about ready to give up. "Okay. What do you do first?"

"We don't know," Melicity admitted shyly.

Elphaba frowned. "You didn't learn how to do this?"

Mallis shook his head. "No. We have to teach ourselves how to do it."

"Miss Iasly is too busy to help us. Since we're older, we're expected to learn this on our own," Emaly said.

"Is it only with Math, or with other subjects, too?" Elphaba asked, her voice filled with concern.

"Everything," the students said in unison.

"Well," Elphaba said gently, trying to cheer up the depressed students. "No time like the present to learn."

"You mean… _you'll_ help us?" Emaly asked.

Elphaba smiled. "Of course. Now, first, you draw a picture of the triangle. It makes it easier when you can see what you're looking for."

Pretty soon, Elphaba found herself surrounded by the rest of the older students, all wanting to get help with the complex math problem. Her face brightened along with the students' as they understood how to do the triangle problem and eagerly completed the problem.

"Do you understand it now?" she asked when they had completed the worksheet.

"Yes!" the students chimed together, smiling and giggling.

Elphaba laughed with them. "I'm glad."

"Thank you, Your Highness," Mallis said, standing up and bowing to the princess as she stood.

"You're welcome. Learning is supposed to be fun. I promise I will fix this arrangement. You shouldn't have to teach yourselves in school."

The children looked thrilled and happily wrapped their arms around Elphaba. The guard stepped forward, ready to pry the children off of Elphaba, but Elphaba held up her hand to stop him. "It's alright."

The guard didn't look pleased, but backed away.

"Thank you," Emaly whispered, looking up at Elphaba.

The princess smiled. "You're very welcome."

"Your Highness, we really must be going now," the guard said. "We've been here long enough."

Elphaba frowned, but nodded, knowing she couldn't stay forever. Fiyero would have a fit.

"Are you goin' now?" one of the younger children asked gently tugging on the skirt of Elphaba's dress.

Elphaba smiled as she knelt down in front of the child. "Yes, I have to go back to the castle. A lot of other things need my attention."

"But you'll come back, right?" another child asked.

"We'll see."

The answer seemed to satisfy the children and they all curtsied or bowed to Elphaba as she left. They followed her out to the carriage and waved until it was out of sight.

"Why are we in such a rush to go?" Elphaba asked the guard on the way back to the castle.

"It is not proper for anyone to be touching the royals unless they are nobility or with expressed permission, Your Highness," the guard explained.

"They were only children."

"Regardless. Forgive me, but it is one of our customs."

Elphaba bit her tongue, but nodded. She averted her gaze to the window and sighed.

* * *

"Hey, how did it go?" Fiyero asked when he saw Elphaba enter the foyer and wrapped his arms around her.

"Fine, but, honestly, if one more person calls me 'Your Highness', I'll…"

"Your Highness!" a voice called.

Elphaba sighed. "And so it continues."

Fiyero chuckled and softly kissed his wife as Harv hurried down the hall towards them.

"Pardon me, Your Highness, but your presence is requested in the drawing room," Harv said, pausing briefly to catch his breath.

"Fiyero, your presence is requested in the drawing room," Elphaba said, looking imploringly at her husband.

Harv chuckled. "I apologize, but I meant you, Princess."

"I know," Elphaba said as she gave Fiyero a soft kiss. "A girl can dream, though."

"Have fun," Fiyero said as she watched Elphaba and Harv walk off.

"I will," Elphaba replied sarcastically, rolling her eyes.

* * *

The months flew by, and soon, it was nearing Lurlinemas.

"Elphaba, Fiyero, come in here, please," Raal called from the parlor.

"What? What is it?" Fiyero asked as he walked in with Elphaba.

"Come see," Amalie smiled, gesturing to the window.

Elphaba looked out the window and gasped, seeing tiny snowflakes fall from the sky.

"The first snow of the season," Fiyero smiled, his face pressed against the glass like a child.

"It's beautiful," Elphaba smiled.

The royal family stayed like that, their arms wrapped around each other as they watched the first snowfall. After dinner, they all retired to their rooms, but Elphaba and Fiyero continued to watch the snowfall.

"Do you think it will snow a lot?" Elphaba asked, turning in Fiyero's arms.

The prince shrugged. "The snow usually doesn't stick during the first snowfall, but the Vinkus is known for getting some pretty heavy snowstorms."

Elphaba nodded and snuggled closer to Fiyero, but gently pulled away when she felt him stiffen. "What's wrong, Yero?"

The prince seamed to struggle with himself. He looked like he wanted to say something, but no words were coming out of his mouth.

"Yero?" Now Elphaba was worried. What was he trying to tell her? "What is it?"

"Fae, I… I don't know how to tell you this…" Fiyero began.

"I knew it…" Elphaba whispered.

"You knew… what?"

"It was only a matter of time before you realized what a mistake you made marrying me," Elphaba said as she pulled away and wrapped her arms around herself.

"What? Fae, that's not what I'm talking about," Fiyero insisted, pulling Elphaba back.

"It isn't?"

"No."

"Oh."

"I love you. You know I do. And that's why I don't want to tell you this."

"But you not telling me makes me even more worried."

Fiyero, not wanting to make his wife even more worried, sighed and nodded. "I… I have to go on a business trip with my father."

Elphaba blinked. "That doesn't sound like bad news."

"It's for two weeks to the Western Vinkus."

Elphaba paused. "T-Two weeks? Yero, Lurlinemas is in two weeks. It's our first Lurlinemas together."

"I know, Fae. Believe me, my father couldn't have picked a worst time to travel, but there's nothing we can do about it."

"When do you leave?"

Fiyero gulped. "Tomorrow morning."

"Tomorrow morning?" Elphaba stumbled back. "Yero… you can't!"

"I'm so sorry, Fae. I meant to tell you earlier, but I just didn't know how. I don't want to leave you. Please, look at me." Fiyero gently tilted his wife's head up to meet his gaze. "I'll be back in time for Lurlinemas. I promise."

"Please don't leave me here alone," Elphaba practically begged.

"You won't be alone. You'll have my parents, Cally will be coming for a week-long visit next week, and I'll write to Galinda and ask if she could come and keep you company."

Elphaba shook her head. "It won't be the same without you."

Fiyero was about to make a funny statement, but the look on his wife's face stopped him. "I'm so sorry, Fae, but this is crowned prince stuff. I have to do this. If I had my way, I would stay here with you. You know I would."

"And I suppose I'll have to suffer through this annual Lurlinemas Ball your parents are hosting alone," Elphaba said, hot, angry tears streaming down her face.

"Fae, please don't be mad at me," Fiyero said as he wiped away Elphaba's tears. "I'm not trying to hurt or abandon you. I just… I'm sorry."

Elphaba wanted to be mad at Fiyero. She wanted to yell at him and curse him, but for some reason, she couldn't. All she could do is collapse in his arms and sob.

"I'm sorry," Fiyero whispered, still thinking that she was upset with him.

"I… I can't do this."

"Do what?"

"All of this. It's too much. I… I can't do it without you."

"Hey," Fiyero said gently, tilting his wife's head up to look at him. "I know it's very stressful for you and you're not used to all of this yet, but you're the smartest, strongest, kindest person I know. You can get through this. And if, after all of this, you still want to kill me, I'll be back in two weeks. But… could the killing part wait until after Lurlinemas? I want to see the look on your face when you open your gift from me."

Elphaba laughed softly. "I'm not going to kill you, Yero. I'm upset about all of this, but I understand."

The prince smiled softly and pulled Elphaba in for a kiss. "I love you so much, Fae."

"I love you, too."

* * *

 **Ah, the first (of many) hurdles for Elphaba as a princess. Virtual chocolate cake for everyone who reviews to celebrate my second fanficiversary and reaching 100 author followers.**


	9. Chapter 9

**Wow! TEN reviews in the last chapter! Thank you all so much! Your reviews mean the world to me!**

 **StamiSprite (Guest): Aww! Thank you so much!**

 **LifelongLeahstar: No, Elphaba didn't lose her glasses. She just uses them for reading.**

 **Doglover645: You'll see more "nope" later. *Cackles***

 **BillyJay936: Frollo comes off to me as flat-out evil. Like… no. You don't try to drown a baby, right after you're responsible for killing it's mother. Just… no. Frex is… not _that_ evil, but he is cold and distant towards Elphaba.**

* * *

Elphaba stared, with dread, at the carriage as servants loaded Raal's and Fiyero's belongings onto the back.

"I'll see you in two weeks, Fae," Fiyero said as he slipped his hand into his wife's and kissed her cheek.

"Be careful, Yero," Elphaba whispered, turning towards Fiyero and wrapping her arms around him.

"I will. I love you."

"I love you, too."

Elphaba watched from the window as Fiyero climbed into the carriage and drove off, waving as he vanished from sight.

"Elphaba?" Amalie whispered as she approached the green girl and laid a hand on her shoulder. "I know how hard this must be for you. But don't worry. The first time Raal had to leave me, I was terrified. Now, I look forward to it because it means two whole weeks of now being woken up in the middle of the night by loud snores."

Elphaba laughed softly. "He snores?"

"Oh, does he!" Amalie chuckled. "The two weeks will be over before you know it."

Elphaba nodded as the Queen gently kissed her cheek and excused herself to the throne room. Elphaba looked up at the clock. She had three hours before she knew Harv would come looking for her to help plan the Lurlinemas Ball. She realized that she never had a chance to explore her new home and thought that now would be the perfect opportunity to do so. She walked down the long hallways, listlessly dragging her fingers along the smooth walls. She stopped when two large, ornate doors caught her attention. Curious, she hurried to open the doors, but stopped. What if she wasn't allowed in the room? What if she was caught? Elphaba mentally kicked herself. Of course she was allowed inside. She was the crowned princess, after all. Why wouldn't she be allowed inside? Taking a deep breath, she pushed the large doors open and walked inside.

The green girl gasped as she looked around. She had found the library. Smiling to herself, she climbed up the three steps leading to the first level and smiled. She walked around, enjoying the peace and solitude that she had been deprived of since she had arrived.

"Good morning, Your Highness," a soft voice said from behind her.

Elphaba jumped and whipped around. An old, brown Owl stood behind her, thin-rimmed glasses perched perfectly on his beak. "Forgive me for startling you. My name is Cato. I am the castle librarian," the Owl said with a slight bow. "I have heard many things, all good, of course, about you and wondered when you would happen to find the palace library."

Elphaba smiled softly. "It's nice to meet you, Cato."

"Is there anything I can help you locate?"

"You know where everything is?" Elphaba asked. She had worked at the Shiz library since her second year there, and not even she knew where everything was.

Cato chuckled softly. "Of course. I am as old as this castle itself. I have seen many things and have served many kings, queens, and crowned princes and princesses."

Elphaba looked around the large library, seemingly soaking in all of the vast information it contained without opening a single book. "Where is the history section?"

"It is on the second floor. I'll show you."

The princess nodded and followed the old Owl up the stairs to the second floor. He led her around bookshelf after bookshelf until they came across a large section of large, history books.

"Here we are," Cato said, turning around, but not seeing the princess. "Your Highness?"

"Hmm?"

The old Owl turned around and smiled, seeing that Elphaba had snuck past him and was already buried in a book, her glasses balanced perfectly on her nose, and her head resting against her fisted hands. "If you need anything else, Your Highness, just let me know."

Elphaba gave the Owl a half-distracted nod as she turned the page. Cato smiled softly as he turned and went up the stairs to the third floor. The green girl didn't know how much time had past, but the next thing she knew, she was startled awake by a, "There you are, Your Highness!"

She jumped and blinked, trying to clear her clouded vision. She looked down at the opened book on the table before lifting her gaze to Harv, fighting an aggravated look.

"I'm so sorry to have startled you, but I didn't know where you were. I asked one of the maids and she said that she saw you come up here," Harv quickly apologized.

Elphaba nodded, still too tired and disoriented to form words.

"I have come to tell you that it's time for you and the Queen to meet with the planners for the Lurlinemas Ball in two weeks."

"Fine," she sighed, her voice still groggy with sleep as she removed her glasses and rubbed her eyes.

Harv nodded sympathetically and offered his hand to the princess. Elphaba ignored him and pushed herself up before walking out of the library. Harv blinked, but followed the princess, making a mental note to himself to try a different tactic when waking her up in the library.

"Elphaba, there you are," Amalie smiled when she saw the green girl approaching.

"Hi," Elphaba said, forcing a smile.

"Is something wrong, dear?"

Elphaba shrugged. "I was reading in the library and fell asleep. Harv just woke me up. I apologize."

"You have nothing to apologize for," Amalie said gently, kissing Elphaba's forehead. "If you want, you can skip this meeting and…"

"No," Elphaba shook her head. "I'll be fine."

"Elphaba, I don't want you to stress yourself out."

"I'll be fine."

The Queen didn't look convinced, but nodded and led Elphaba into the drawing room, where the decorators and chef were waiting.

"Everything is to your liking, Your Majesty?" the head decorator asked when the meeting concluded.

"Yes. Elphaba?" Amalie asked, turning towards the princess.

Elphaba smiled. "I think it will be wonderful."

"Thank you, Your Highness," the head decorator bowed.

The Queen dismissed everyone and walked out with Elphaba. "Are you alright?"

The green girl nodded. "I'm fine. That wasn't as… tedious as I expected."

Amalie laughed. "The ball is pretty much the same every year. We just have to go over everything to make sure it's as close to perfect as possible."

The two women continued to chat as they walked until Harv appeared, claiming to need the queen to check over something. Excusing herself, Amalie followed Harv, leaving the green girl alone. Elphaba used her free time to go back to the library.

"Hello again, Your Highness," Cato smiled when Elphaba walked in. "Back to the history section?"

"Hello, Cato. Actually, I was thinking about trying something else. Where is the fiction section?"

The old Owl smiled. "Right this way."

Elphaba followed the librarian back up to the second floor to the fiction section. It didn't take long for her to choose a book and settle down at a table.

* * *

A week later, Elphaba was still very busy with preparations for the Lurlinemas Ball. Harv kept her on a very tight schedule, leaving her little to no time to herself.

"Your Highness?" Harv asked as he came into the parlor.

"Harv, please, if this is another meeting about the Lurlinemas Ball, can it please wait?" Elphaba said tiredly from where she laid on the sofa.

"Forgive me, but I have just come to deliver this letter to you."

Elphaba sat up. "Is it from Fiyero?"

"No, it's from Lady Calysteria."

Cally? Why would she be writing? Wasn't she supposed to be arriving today? Curiously, Elphaba took the letter and thanked Harv.

 _Dear Elphaba_ , it read.

 _I'm so sorry to be writing this to you, but I will not be able to come until the ball. A lot has come up recently and I must stay here in Kvon Altar. I am dreadfully sorry, but I know you are doing just fine. Don't let all of this overwhelm you. You are a great princess and everything will work out._

 _Again, please forgive me for not being able to make it, but I will see you at the ball._

 _Fondly,_

 _Cally_

Elphaba sighed. Cally wouldn't be visiting. She would just have to do this alone.

The next morning, Elphaba woke up at the crack of dawn and subconsciously stumbled through her morning routine. She felt numb without Fiyero by her side. She needed him. The ball was in four days and she was sure that she wasn't going to make it without him. That's why she nearly jumped for joy when a letter from Fiyero finally came.

 _Dearest Fae,_

 _I'm so sorry I haven't written yet, but things have been very busy for my father and me. I hope you're alright and you still don't want to kill me. I'm counting down the days until Lurlinemas Eve. Not a day has gone by that I haven't thought of you. I miss you more than words can express and I can't wait to see you again. I love you dearly._

 _Yours forever,_

 _Yero_

Elphaba clutched the letter to her chest, as if it was Fiyero himself. She missed him dearly. She never thought she would be able to miss someone until she met Fiyero. Now, she couldn't, nor did she want to, imagine her life without him.

Harv entered the parlor, a soft smile on his face. "Your Highness, Miss Galinda Upland has arrived."

Before Elphaba had a chance to process and respond, the bubbly blonde bounced into the room and wrapped her arms around Elphaba in a tight hug. "Elphie!"

Elphaba gasped softly, then processed everything and quickly returned the hug. "Hi, Glin."

"I've missed you so much. How are you?" Before Elphaba had a chance to respond, Galinda pulled away to look at her friend. "You don't look so good."

"Maybe it's the green," Elphaba said dryly.

Galinda slapped her arm. "That's not funny, Elphie. You look like you could use some rest."

"That's something I haven't got a lot of."

"Oz, Elphie. I thought you would have learned by now not to spend all night reading." The look of Elphaba's face told the blonde that it was more serious than her old Shiz study habits and she softened a bit. "Well, you're in luck. Because Oz's Best Bestest Friend is here to make everything better."

"I'm really glad you're here, Glin. Really, I am. But I have a lot of work to do," Elphaba sighed as she pushed herself to her feet.

"Actually, Your Highness, your schedule is free," Harv smiled.

"You're welcome," Galinda grinned when she saw her friend's stunned face.

"Prince Fiyero made sure that you would have lots of time to spend with your friend before he left," Harv quipped.

"Come on, Elphie!" Galinda said as she pulled Elphaba up the stairs. "I'll have the maids draw you a bubble bath to get you relaxed, then we'll have tea in your room, and I'll give you a makeover and we'll talk and…"

"Thank you," Elphaba whispered gratefully to Harv as the blonde pulled her up the stairs, chattering a mile a minute.

Harv smiled and bowed. "My pleasure, Your Highness."


	10. Chapter 10

**StamiSprite (Guest): Updates are every other day, since I pre-wrote most of the story already.**

 **ExoticPeachBlossom: Hmm… you are forgiven. :-)**

 **Ultimate Queen of Cliffies: Well… I… um… you see, what had happened was… I'll let you read it. *Smirk***

* * *

Elphaba sighed peacefully as she soaked in the warm bubble bath, allowing all of her problems and worries to melt away for a few moments. She was grateful that Galinda had showed up. She always seemed to be there when the green girl needed her, whether she knew it or not. When the water started to get cold, she climbed out and dried off, putting on a thin slip and covering herself with her fluffy, warm, royal blue bathrobe. She stretched and smiled, feeling more relaxed. She couldn't remember when she felt this relaxed. Probably because she never felt that way before. She opened the door and made her way back to her bedroom, where Galinda was waiting for her with a hairbrush. The green girl smiled, taking a seat on the edge of her bed while Galinda jumped behind her and started to brush her hair.

"How are you doing, Elphie?" Galinda asked as she slowly ran the brush though her friend's hair, careful to get all the tangles out.

"Honestly, I've been better," Elphaba said. "I didn't know being a princess would be this… tedious. I barely have any time to myself, I haven't gotten much sleep, and it's gotten worse since Fiyero left. And if one more person calls me 'Your Highness', I think I might scream."

Galinda giggled softly. "Oh, Elphie. Everyone is going to call you 'Your Highness' from now on. It's your new title. Well, it will be until you become queen. Then, you'll be 'Your Majesty.'"

Elphaba sighed. "I know there's nothing I can do about that, but that doesn't change the fact that it still bothers me."

"Why does it bother you?"

"I don't know. It just does. I don't think I'll ever get used to people calling me that after years of being the 'green bean', or 'artichoke', or 'broccoli girl'."

"Well, those days are behind us," the blonde said as she put the brush down and gently rubbed her friend's arm. "You're a princess now. You're a public figure. People now look up to you. Enjoy that feeling."

"I'm trying. I know I should, but for some reason, I can't."

"It's okay. You have a lot on your mind right now. Once all this settles down, it will become second nature and you'll be able to find more time to relax."

"Thanks, Glin. I… I'm really glad you came."

"I know," Galinda smiled as she wrapped her arms around her best friend. "So am I."

* * *

"Elphie, look! It's snowing!"

Elphaba looked up from her book. "What?"

Galinda turned and pulled her friend from her chair and over to the window. "It's snowing!"

Elphaba smiled as she watched the snow fall heavily from the sky. "It's beautiful."

"If it snows enough, we can go outside and build a snowman!" Galinda said as she started bouncing up and down.

Elphaba's lips twitched into a smile, but it quickly faded. "Oh."

Galinda stopped bouncing up and down. "What's wrong?"

"Glin, the ball is tomorrow night."

Galinda blinked. "I know, but what does the snow have to do with anything?"

"If it snows too much, the roads will be blocked and Fiyero might not be able to make it back in time."

Galinda's face fell. "Oh. I'm sorry, Elphie. The snowman can wait."

"You have nothing to be sorry for, Glin," Elphaba said, turning to face her friend and gave her a small smile. "I just hope Fiyero and Raal are able to make it back in time for the ball."

"They will, Elphie. Don't worry," Galinda smiled, hugging her friend.

"Excuse me, Your Highness," Harv said as he entered the room. "It is time for your dress fitting for the ball."

Elphaba nodded. "Will you come with me?" she asked, turning towards the blonde.

"You don't have to ask," Galinda smiled as she linked her arms with her best friend and followed Harv.

When Elphaba first saw the dress, she tried to protest, but Galinda wouldn't hear any of it and helped the dresser with the dress.

"Oh, Elphie, stop complaining. You look beautiful," Galinda said, stepping back to get a better look at her friend.

Elphaba turned and looked at herself in the mirror. The dress was a dark blue color with one strap, a slim-fitting bodice, and a skirt a bit fuller than what Elphaba would have preferred, the fabric of the skirt twirling around itself and flowing down to the floor.

"How does it feel, Your Highness?" the dresser asked.

"Fine," Elphaba said, nervously wiping her hands on the skirt of the dress.

"Is it to your liking?"

"It's… very beautiful," Elphaba said, not showing any evidence that she actually liked the dress.

"She likes it," Galinda said, smiling at the dresser. "She just has a very… different way of showing it."

The dresser nodded and, together with Galinda, helped Elphaba out of the dress.

"You'll look stunning tomorrow at the ball," the blonde reassured her best friend. "Fiyero won't know what hit him when he returns."

The princess blushed. "Thanks, Glin."

* * *

Elphaba stood at the top of the grand staircase, waiting, nervously playing with her gloves. Where was Fiyero? The ball was due to start soon and he still wasn't back. She knew she wouldn't be able to survive all of the people in the ballroom without him. She needed him with her. She brushed stray hairs away from her face and looked at herself in the mirror. Her hair had been curled and styled in an elegant up-do, with a tiara adorning her head. Galinda did her makeup, and she had managed to talk her down to giving her a simple blush and eye shadow, but the blonde had also added a bit of lip-gloss, despite Elphaba's protests.

"Your Highness, you look stunning," Harv said as he stepped up next to Elphaba.

"Thank you, Harv," Elphaba said, half-turning to face the castle steward. "Have you heard anything from Fiyero or Raal? Are they coming back tonight?"

"Sadly, I have not heard anything, but I will inform you as soon as I receive news," Harv promised.

Elphaba nodded. "Thank you."

A sound of a trumpet blast pulled Elphaba from her private thoughts and she took Harv's arm and allowed him to escort her down the stairs.

"And now, presenting Her Royal Highness, Princess Elphaba Melena Tigulaar, Crowned Princess of the Vinkus!" the herald announced as the ballroom doors opened.

The guests all gasped in awe and applauded as Elphaba gracefully entered the ballroom, fighting to keep the smile on her face as she walked up to Amalie. She turned to Harv, who gently kissed the back of her hand before departing. The Queen wore a beautiful, dark red ball gown with a full skirt and intricate design on the bodice. Her hair was styled in an elegant up-do and she wore her crown. Elphaba looked at her and wondered if she would ever have to wear a crown like that. It looked heavy in not only weight, but responsibility as well. She shook the thought out of her head. Of course she would have to.

"You look beautiful, my dear," Amalie smiled, giving Elphaba's hands a gentle squeeze.

"Thank you," Elphaba blushed.

A small crowd gathered around Elphaba and they began to shower her with compliments and small talk. Elphaba forced herself to relax as she continued to speak to everyone. Amalie helped her out by answering most of their questions, for which Elphaba was eternally grateful.

"See? That wasn't so bad, was it?" Amalie asked when the crowd dispersed to dance.

"You make it look so easy," Elphaba said, looking at the queen. "You're so poised and refined."

"Why, thank you. Believe it or not, I used to be just like you. I used to be very shy and loathe these balls. Now, it's one of the events I look forward to most."

"I just wish Fiyero was here."

"Elphaba, I know this is your first ball and you're very nervous, and the fact that Fiyero isn't here with you probably isn't making any of this easier for you, but try to enjoy yourself."

"I won't make any promises, but I'll try," Elphaba said.

"I'll take that."

"Oh, Elphie! Isn't this ball fabulous?" Galinda giggled as she stepped up beside her friend and clutched her arm. Her dress was stunning; a long, short sleeved, flowing pink dress with an intricate beading pattern on the bodice. She wore her hair in lose curls, falling perfectly over her shoulder.

"Very," Elphaba said.

The blonde pouted a bit, but brightened when she spotted a familiar face. "There's Cally!"

The woman in question turned and smiled at the blonde before tugging on the arm of the young-looking man she was standing next to. Linking arms, the two approached the three women.

"Having fun?" Amalie smiled at her niece.

"As always, Aunt Amalie. I love the annual Lurlinemas Ball," Amalie smiled. She turned to Elphaba and gave the green girl a hug. "How are you, Elphaba?"

"I'm fine," Elphaba answered shortly.

"I don't believe I've introduced you to my husband. Windon, this is Elphaba, Fiyero's wife. Elphaba, this is Windon."

Windon gently took Elphaba's hand and, bringing it to his lips, gently kissed her knuckles. "I'm delighted to finally meet you, Elphaba. Cally has told me so much about you."

Elphaba smiled slightly. She noticed how Windon didn't look put off by her skin, but knew it was a result of Cally telling him ahead of time.

"And Elphaba, I'm so sorry I couldn't come last week. Both Windon and I came down with a cold and I didn't feel like I could travel," Cally said apologetically.

Elphaba nodded. "It's perfectly fine. I'm glad you're both feeling better."

"Thank you." Another song began to play and couples began to gather onto the dance floor. Amalie looked up at her husband, who smiled down at her.

"Would you do me the pleasure of having this dance with me, Lady Calysteria?" Windon asked as he bowed deeply.

Cally giggled and curtsied as she took Windon's hand. "Why, of course, Lord Windon."

The two walked onto the dance floor, leaving Amalie, Elphaba and Galinda alone.

"Why don't you two go have some fun and dance?" Amalie suggested.

"There are two perfectly eligible –and by eligible, I mean cute– young men right over there," Galinda said, discreetly pointing to two identical-looking young men by the punch bowl. "And they don't look like they have dates. Come on, Elphie."

"Glin, I…" Elphaba really didn't feel like dancing, especially if she wasn't dancing with Fiyero. He was supposed to have returned by now. But the blonde had already started pulling her towards the punch bowl.

"Excuse me," Galinda smiled as she tapped one of the boys on the shoulder.

The boys turned around and gasped, seeing the princess and the beautiful, blonde girl. "Your Highness," they quickly bowed.

"My friend and I were just saying how much we wanted to dance, but since Prince Fiyero hasn't returned yet, and I, unfortunately, am _ever-so-single_ , would you two be dears and escort us?" Galinda asked, batting her eyelashes.

"Of course," the boys coursed, putting down their cups.

"Oh my Oz, Elphie! Twins! We hit the _jackpot_!" Galinda whispered, giggling.

"Glin, need I remind you that I'm married?" Elphaba asked, rolling her eyes.

"Well, you may be, but I'm not," Galinda smiled a charming smile as she took the arm of the twin on the right.

"Your Highness," the other boy bowed, offering his arm to Elphaba.

Elphaba slowly reached out and took the arm offered to her before walking onto the dance floor and dancing with her new escort. She felt a bit uncomfortable in this strange person's arms, but they didn't seem like they would try anything fishy, so she forced herself to relax.

"So," she began, somewhat awkwardly. "Tell me about yourself."

The young man smiled. "I am Colin Hamsberg, son of the Baron and Baroness of Limework Grove in the Northern Vinkus."

"And I'm assuming that's your twin brother dancing with my friend over there," Elphaba said, briefly looking over her shoulder at the blonde, who was smiling and talking a mile a minute to a patiently listening escort.

Colin chuckled. "Yes, that's my twin brother, Khynel."

The song ended and everyone applauded the orchestra.

"It has been a pleasure dancing with you, Your Highness," Colin said as he bowed and escorted Elphaba off of the dance floor.

"And with you as well, Master Colin," Elphaba smiled.

The young man smiled back and went in search of his brother. Elphaba wandered off to the large Lurlinemas tree in the corner and fingered one of the ornaments.

"Oh, Elphie! Khynel is one of the sweetest, kindest, more gentlemanly people I've ever met," Galinda smiled as she hurried over to her best friend and took her hands. "Why are you over here all by yourself?"

"I like Lurlinemas trees?" Elphaba tried.

Galinda sympathetically patted her friend's arm as Cally and Windon came over. "Oh, Elphie. What am I going to do with you?"

"Hi," Cally smiled once they were in hearing distance.

Elphaba smiled back, but remained silent, suddenly becoming very tired.

"Is everything alright?" Amalie asked as she approached the small group.

"I'm fine. Just a bit tired," Elphaba said, wrapping her arms around her waist.

"Your Majesty, Your Highness!" Harv called as he hurried over to the group.

"Is something wrong, Harv?" Amalie asked as the steward paused briefly to catch his breath.

"I have just received word from one of the guards that it snowed very heavily in the Western Vinkus, closing all of the roads there."

"What does that mean?" Galinda asked.

"It means that the king and Prince Fiyero won't be able to make it back in time for Lurlinemas," Harv said gently.

Amalie looked extremely disappointed, but nodded dutifully, understanding. Galinda immediately wrapped her arms around Elphaba, who looked like she was about to burst into tears.

"Elphie?" the blonde whispered softly.

"I…" Elphaba bit her lip. Fiyero wasn't going to be back for their first Lurlinemas together. She could feel her eyes welling with tears, but refused to let them fall. "I… I think I have to go lie down."

"Of course, Elphaba," Amalie nodded, excusing the young girl.

"Would you like me to come with you, Elphie?" the blonde asked gently.

"N-No. I can go by myself," Elphaba said. "Goodnight." She gave everyone a small smile before leaving the ballroom as quickly and as gracefully as possible. She hurried up the stairs and into her room, closing the door behind her. Fiyero would not be coming back. She would have to spend her first Lurlinemas as a princess without him. She knew she shouldn't be mad at him. After all, it wasn't his fault. Yet, she was mad at him. In fact, she was furious at him. In her rage, she took her pillow and threw it across the room. She finally managed to calm herself down and looked out the window at the light, steadily falling snow.

The door opened and Aya entered with clean laundry, but almost dropped it when she saw the princess. "Oh! Forgive me, Your Highness. I thought you were still at the ball."

"I decided to retire early," Elphaba answered, refusing to look away from the window, as if she thought it would bring Fiyero back.

Aya blinked, but nodded. "Would you like me to help you with your dress?"

Elphaba nodded and finally tore away from the window. Aya gently helped the princess out of the ball gown and hung it up neatly in the closet. "Would you like me to draw you a warm bath?"

"No, thank you," Elphaba said, silently hoping the maid would leave.

Aya, sensing that Elphaba wanted some alone time, curtsied and left, taking the clean laundry with her. A soft sob escaped from Elphaba's lips as she grabbed her hairbrush and brushed out her hair before tying it back into a bun. She put on her nightgown, hugging Fiyero's pillow against her chest as she climbed into bed, her husband consuming her thoughts as she drifted off to sleep… alone.

* * *

 **Elphaba and Galinda's dresses are on my blog.**


	11. Chapter 11

**Doglover645: LOL! Um… no. Elphaba's not pregnant. And you just don't trust any of the new characters I introduce, do you? Not ALL of them are bad.**

 **The Internet Sass Queen: Your review had me in stitches!**

 **BillyJay936: Because it's fun! And attending balls are the inevitable part of being a princess, so poor Elphaba must endure it.**

* * *

Elphaba slowly opened her eyes Lurlinemas morning and sighed. She had managed to sleep peacefully through the night, despite having the horrible news from the night before still fresh in her mind. She moved to get up, but stopped, registering the feeling of someone's arms wrapped loosely around her waist. Slowly, she turned and gasped, being met with a pair of hazel eyes staring back at her. "Yero?"

"Good morning, Fae," the prince smiled, stroking Elphaba's hair away from her face. "Merry Lurlinemas."

Elphaba slowly reached out and touched Fiyero's face, as if to see if he was really there with her. Once she was sure, she happily threw her arms around her husband and kissed him passionately.

Fiyero made a noise of surprise, but quickly kissed his wife back before pulling away, both of them slightly breathless.

"Yero, how…" Elphaba whispered. "The… the snow… they said you wouldn't be able to get back in time."

"I know. When they announced that all the roads were closed, I was devastated. I knew I would miss the ball, but there was no way I was going to miss our first Lurlinemas together. At around one in the morning, one of the guards woke me up saying that one of the back roads had been cleared of most of the snow, and it was safe to travel back. It was our Lurlinemas miracle."

"So, you were traveling all morning just to get back on Lurlinemas?" Elphaba asked, tears filling her eyes.

"Well, I couldn't let you spend your first Lurlinemas as a princess alone."

Elphaba smiled and kissed her husband again. "I love you."

"I love you, too, Fae. Now, come on! Let's get presents!"

Elphaba laughed and got up, slipping into her robe before following Fiyero out of the room and into the parlor, where Cally, Windon, Galinda, Raal and Amalie were already gathered.

"Good morning, you two," Amalie smiled when she saw Elphaba and Fiyero come into the parlor. "Merry Lurlinemas."

"Merry Lurlinemas, Mother," Fiyero said as he went over and kissed his mother's cheek.

"I see someone liked her Lurlinemas surprise," Cally smiled at the green girl.

"You knew?" Elphaba asked.

"I knew from about an hour and a half ago when Fiyero snuck into my room," Cally laughed.

"Then he came into my room and ask me if you were alright," Galinda quipped.

"Okay, either we discuss what I did when I was half-asleep this morning, or we can open presents."

"I vote for presents!" Cally smiled, quickly raising her hand.

"Me too!" Galinda giggled.

Everyone gathered around the large Lurlinemas tree to exchange gifts. Amalie and Raal sat in the armchairs while Elphaba, Galinda, Cally, and Windon sat under the tree

"Merry Lurlinemas, Fae," Fiyero said as he gave Elphaba a box wrapped in emerald green wrapping paper.

Elphaba smiled as she took the box and gingerly unwrapped it. "Oh, Yero. It's beautiful," she smiled when she pulled out diamond necklace. "Thank you."

Fiyero softly kissed her cheek. "You're welcome."

Elphaba gently put her gift aside and grabbed her present to Fiyero. The prince took it gleefully and tore off the wrapping paper and pulled out a golden pen with the official Vinkun seal and his name on it. He happy pulled his wife into a long 'thank you' kiss, and reluctantly pulled away when he heard Cally loudly clear her throat.

After all the gifts were exchanged, with not only squeals from Galinda, but from Fiyero as well, the prince rose to his feet and pulled Elphaba up. "Come with me."

"Where are we going?" Elphaba questioned, raising her eyebrow. The only answer she got was Fiyero handing her her hat, scarf and gloves, and called Harv to get their coats. "Yero?"

"Come outside with me."

"Yero, there's snow on the ground."

"That's exactly why I want to go outside."

"We're going out in the snow? Wait for me!" Galinda squealed as she ran up the stairs to get dressed in her winter gear.

"We're not even dressed yet," Elphaba protested.

The prince rolled his eyes. "Well, then, hurry up and get dressed."

Elphaba sighed as she hurried away to get dressed. She returned wearing a thick, wool dress, thick stockings and her hair in a braid.

"Okay! I'm ready!" Galinda said as she hurried down the stairs, clad in a pink coat, hat, scarf, gloves and boots.

Fiyero helped Elphaba with her coat and as soon as Cally came back down, the four of them hurried outside into the snow. Windon had opted out and stayed inside, nursing a cup of coffee.

"Let's build a snowman!" Galinda smiled as she began to roll the snow into a large ball.

"I'll get a carrot!" Cally said as she hurried back into the castle. She quickly returned and helped Galinda with the snowman's body.

Elphaba watched quietly to the side, having never made a snowman before.

"Elphie, come on!" Galinda said, waving her friend over.

Elphaba smiled softly and went over to her friend, who explained the basics of making a snowman. Fiyero found two sticks for the arms and a few rocks for the eyes and buttons.

"It looks nice," Cally said as she stuck the carrot in for a nose.

Galinda nodded and flopped down on her back and began to move her arms and legs.

"Galinda, what are you doing?" Elphaba asked, looking down at the blonde.

"Making a snow angel," the blonde answered with a giggle.

Fiyero and Cally flopped down next to the blonde and made their own snow angels. And, after coaxing from her husband, Elphaba did the same.

Fiyero was the first to stand up to examine his work. "What do you think?" he asked Elphaba, helping her to her feet.

Elphaba turned and looked at the snow angels. "It was… fun."

"You mean to say that you, Elphaba Melena Tigulaar, actually had _fun_?" Galinda gasped, sitting up. "By Oz, it's a miracle! A Lurlinemas miracle!"

"I do have fun!" Elphaba protested.

"Fae, cooping yourself up in the library and studying all day doesn't count as fun," Fiyero pointed out.

Elphaba stubbornly crossed her arms. "It's fun to _me_."

"Of course it is," Fiyero smiled as he pulled Elphaba closer to himself and kissed her nose. He abruptly pulled away when he felt a snowball make contact with his check. "Hey!"

"Oh, I'm _so_ sorry," Cally said, placing her hand over her heart. "Did that snowball I aimed at your face hit you in the face?"

"It's on!" Fiyero said as he scooped up some snow and threw it at his cousin, who immediately sprang to her feet and ran away.

Galinda scooped up some snow, neatly rolling it into a ball and threw it at Fiyero, hitting him square in the chest.

"Alright, Fae, I need backup!" Fiyero called as he dodged snowballs while scooping more snow. "Fae?" The prince didn't hear his wife respond and he turned around, only to be met with a snowball in his face. Sputtering, he wiped his eyes and spit snow out of his mouth before looking at his wife, who was smiling innocently at him. "Fae, you're supposed to be on _my_ side," he whined.

Elphaba quirked her head to the side. "Why?"

"Because you're my _wife_."

"So?" Elphaba scooped up more snow and threw it at Fiyero, hitting him in the chest.

"Girls against Fiyero!" Cally called, pelting Fiyero with more snow.

"That's not fair!" Fiyero shouted as he dodged most of the attacks.

"We never said it was fair!" Galinda laughed.

The girls continued to mercilessly attack the prince with snowballs, laughing as Fiyero tried, and failed, to defend himself.

"Surrender, Fiyero!" Cally called, handing a snowball to Elphaba.

"Nev-" The prince was cut off by a snowball to the mouth and spit out the snow. "Never!"

"Very well. Suit yourself," Galinda shrugged, throwing snow at the prince, hitting him in the stomach.

The young adults continued to play in the snow, now simply throwing the snow instead of taking the time to form the actual snowballs. Before they knew it, Harv came outside and informed them that lunch was almost ready.

"Are you alright, Your Highness?" Harv asked, noticing a red-faced, snow-covered Fiyero moping back into the castle.

"I don't want to talk about it," Fiyero mumbled.

The castle steward chuckled softly and bowed. "Of course, Your Highness."

They all cleaned off and warmed up with tea in the parlor before lunch. When they walked into the dining room, they were greeted with smiles from Raal, Amalie and Windon.

"What happened to you?" Windon asked as Cally kissed his cheek and sat down next to him.

"We beat Fiyero in a snowball fight," Cally said casually as she began to eat her rice.

Fiyero shook his head. "It was the three of them against one of me. It was horrible."

"I thought it was pretty fun," Elphaba smiled.

Fiyero made a face at her.

"And we made a snowman and snow angels," Galinda smiled. "It felt good to feel carefree again, just like our days at dear old Shiz."

"Well, I'm glad you all enjoyed yourselves," Raal smiled.

* * *

The next day, Raal, Amalie, Elphaba and Fiyero gathered in the foyer to bid Cally, Windon, and Galinda goodbye. The blonde hugged her best friend tightly, promising to write and keep her posted on everything she was doing. Cally made Elphaba promise to write to her if she ever needed help with anything or simply wanted to talk. Windon delicately took Elphaba's hand and softly kissed her knuckles like the gentleman he was before leaning forward and kissing her cheek. They all watched as they climbed into their respective carriages and drove away, Galinda waving enthusiastically and calling out a last, "Look out for my letters, Elphie!" as her carriage drove away.

Elphaba sighed and stretched, glad to be able to get some peace and quiet for a few minutes.

"Your Highness!" Harv called, walking brusquely down the hallway, holding an envelope. "This has just arrived from Munchkinland."

"Thank you, Harv," Elphaba said as she took the envelope. "It's probably from my sister," she said as she opened the envelope and pulled out the letter.

"Have you been writing to your sister?"

Elphaba nodded. "I have. I wrote to her a lot when you were away, but only ended up sending about half of the letters. Most of them were simply rants about how I thought I couldn't handle being a princess, but the other half we're actual letters to her."

Fiyero nodded. "What did she say?"

"She says that she misses me and that she hopes I'm happy here," Elphaba said as she scanned the letter. "She thanks me for the Vinkun silk scarf I sent her and that I should be getting my present shortly. She also says that Father sends his love, though I doubt that's true." Fiyero opened his mouth to comment, but Elphaba cut him off. "It's okay, Yero. I know how you feel about my relationship with my father, but I'm okay with it now. I feel… I feel like I don't have to fight for his love and attention anymore. I feel free from him."

The prince blinked, but smiled when Elphaba snuggled into his arms. "I have you now," he heard Elphaba whisper against his chest.

"I'm glad I have you, too, Fae," Fiyero smiled as he kissed the top of her head.

Elphaba snuggled closer to him, then made a face. "That is probably the mushiest, sappiest thing you will ever hear me say. Don't get used to hearing me say things like that."

The prince chuckled. "Wouldn't dream of it."

* * *

 **I honestly considered having Fiyero not come back in time for Lurlinemas, but then thought that was a bit too cruel, even for me. So, instead, we all get a happy, Fiyeraba Lurlinemas. You're welcome.**


	12. Chapter 12

After a very long and harsh winter, the snow finally began to melt, giving way to the blooming flowers that came along with springtime. Unfortunately for Elphaba, she was stuck in a meeting with Fiyero, Raal, and Amalie to help plan for the Spring Festival, which was going to be the following week.

"What else would you like, Your Majesties?" Harv said as he scribbled in his notebook.

"Well," Raal said as he stroked his beard. "We have a bouncy house, dunking tank, a cotton candy and icy stands, along with other food vendors, raffles, and a dancing floor. Are we missing anything else?"

"A puppet show!" Fiyero exclaimed. All heads turned towards him and he awkwardly cleared his throat. "For the children."

"Right," Elphaba smirked. "For the _children_."

"I'm serious. Children love puppet shows!"

"And so do crowned princes."

Fiyero turned red. "There's nothing wrong with puppet shows!"

"We know, Fiyero. We're just teasing," Amalie chuckled. "Add a puppet show to the festival," she said to Harv.

Harv nodded and scribbled away. "Your Highness?"

Elphaba looked up and realized Harv was talking to her. "What about pony rides?"

"That's a great idea, Fae," Fiyero smiled as he wrapped his arm around his wife.

"Yero, you're too old for the pony rides," Elphaba pointed out.

The prince pouted. "All I said was 'That's a great idea, Fae'."

"So, we have now added pony rides and a puppet show to the list. Is there anything else?" Harv asked.

"I think that's fine. Everyone will enjoy themselves," Amalie said.

Raal nodded. "I believe this is good."

"Very well," Harv said as he closed his notebook. "I shall inform the staff immediately."

"Thank you, Harv," the king said as he steward bowed and left the room.

"Fae, isn't the date of the spring festival also your birthday?" the prince realized.

Elphaba blinked. "Oh… yes. I didn't realize."

"Your birthday is April 17th?" Raal asked, turning towards Elphaba.

"Yes, but it's not a big deal," Elphaba tried to reassure them.

"Nonsense, Elphaba. A birthday is a very special date to celebrate," Amalie said.

"I really don't want a big fuss about my birthday," Elphaba said softly.

"Fae, have you ever celebrated your birthday?" Fiyero asked gently.

Elphaba shook her head.

"It's okay, Elphaba. If you don't want a big fuss made about your birthday, we don't make a big deal," Amalie reassured her.

"Thank you."

"This year," Fiyero whispered. "Next year will be a completely different story."

Elphaba rolled her eyes. "Let's get through this year first, okay, Yero?"

The prince sighed. "Okay," he conceded.

* * *

Elphaba yawned as she slowly opened her eyes. She turned and saw Fiyero looked down at her. "What?"

"Nothing," Fiyero said casually as he tangled his fingers in Elphaba's hair. "Good morning, birthday girl."

The green girl chuckled throatily. "Good morning."

"How does it feel to be twenty-three?"

"The same as it does to feel twenty-two." The princess pushed herself up and stretched. She sniffed the air and smiled. "That smells wonderful."

Fiyero leaned over and kissed her cheek before getting out of bed. "Stay here."

"Where are you going?"

"To get your breakfast," Fiyero said like it was obvious.

"Yero, I am perfectly capable of getting my own breakfast."

"Fae, you get breakfast in bed on your birthday."

Elphaba raised her eyebrow. "Is this another one of the traditions?"

The prince shrugged. "It could be."

Elphaba rolled her eyes and sighed, but stayed put while Fiyero went to get their food. He returned shortly with two plates of eggs, bacon, and toast. Aya was behind him, carrying two cups of steaming coffee.

"Happy birthday, Your Highness," Aya said as she set the cups on the nightstand and dipped into a curtsy.

"Thank you, Aya," Elphaba said as she pushed herself up more.

"Is there anything else you require?"

"No. Thank you, Aya," Fiyero nodded.

The maid curtsied and hurried out, closing the door behind her.

"Thank you," Elphaba said as she took the plate from Fiyero and took a bite of toast.

"You're welcome," Fiyero said as he kissed his wife's forehead and sipped his coffee.

The two finished eating quickly and went to get dressed. Elphaba emerged from the bathroom, wearing a simple, long sleeved navy dress that stopped at her ankles and a collar.

"Happy birthday, Your Highness," Harv smiled as he came down the hall.

Elphaba turned and smiled. "Thank you, Harv. Do you need me for something?"

"No, Your Highness," the steward shook his head. "I was just in search for the prince."

"He's probably downstairs, hiding from whatever you need him to do," Elphaba smiled.

Harv chuckled. " _That_ he probably is. The day is yours do to what you wish, Your Highness. We plan to leave for the festival by early evening."

"Thank you, Harv," Elphaba nodded and started towards the library.

"Happy birthday, Your Highness," Cato said when she entered.

Elphaba smiled. "You heard?"

The old Owl laughed. "I may never leave the library, but I have ears in the castle. Is there a particular book you're looking for today?"

"No. I think I'll just look around."

"Very well. Call if you need anything." And with that, Cato vanished around the corner.

Elphaba went to the second floor and lost herself in a book. She didn't know how long she was there, but the next thing she knew, Aya came in with a sandwich and a glass of milk.

"Aya," Elphaba said as she looked up, sounding a bit surprised.

"Pardon me, Your Highness, but Prince Fiyero thought you would be here and wouldn't want to leave, so he sent lunch," the maid said.

Elphaba smiled as Aya placed the sandwich and glass in front of her. "Thank you. And please tell Fiyero that he's right."

The maid curtsied and went to deliver the message. Elphaba nibbled on the sandwich as she read, half-distracted from reading to eat, and half-distracted from eating to read.

That evening, Elphaba stood in front of her mirror, brushing her hair. She eyed the sparkly tiara that Amalie had laid out for her. She didn't want to wear it. Deciding to leave her hair down, she settled for a shiny, silver headband and placed it in her hair. Now Fiyero wouldn't hassle her about having her hair up, her hair would be out of her face, and she would be wearing _something_ in it. She walked out of her room and met Fiyero, Amalie and Raal in the foyer.

"You look beautiful, Fae," Fiyero smiled as Elphaba stepped up next to him and slipped her hand into his.

"You do, Elphaba," Amalie smiled.

"Thank you," Elphaba blushed.

"Are we ready to go?" Raal asked, already halfway to the door.

Amalie chuckled softly and took her husband's arm before walking down to the waiting carriage, with Fiyero, Elphaba and Harv close behind.

The fair grounds were fairly close, so the carriage ride didn't take long. As soon as the carriage stopped, they were met with a crowd of people, men, women and children alike, all cheering and waving.

Amalie and Raal stepped down first, followed by Fiyero, who then assisted Elphaba down.

"Ladies and gentlemen, let the Spring Festival begin!" Raal said as he cut the entrance ribbon with large scissors.

The people cheered and hurried inside, eager to experience all of the activities. Fiyero and Elphaba walked around for a bit, taking everything in.

"What do you think?" Fiyero asked.

Elphaba shrugged. "I've never been to a festival before, so I have nothing to compare this to."

The prince nodded and got both of them a plate of fried dough. Elphaba took the treat apprehensively, but once she saw Fiyero take a bite, she slowly did the same. The prince smiled when she made a noise of enjoyment and wiped the extra powder from her upper lip.

"Hey!" Elphaba protested.

"What?" the prince asked innocently. Elphaba wrinkled her nose, and Fiyero gently kissed it. "I love you."

"I love you, too," Elphaba whispered, finishing her treat and continuing to walk around.

"Ooh, the puppet show!" the prince smiled, taking Elphaba's hand and gently pulling her behind him.

"You are such a child sometimes," Elphaba muttered, shaking her head.

"Shh, Fae! I'm trying to listen to the story!" Fiyero said as he stood behind the giggling children watching the show.

Elphaba rolled her eyes and watched the show with her husband, and soon found herself laughing along with them.

After the show, Elphaba felt someone tugging on her dress and she looked down to see someone she hadn't seen in a while. "Hello, Lyle."

The little boy's face brightened. "You remember me?"

Elphaba laughed and knelt down to his height. "Of course I remember you."

Lyle grinned and shyly handed her a rose. "This is for you."

The princess smiled as she took the rose and inhaled it sweet scent. "Thank you."

Lyle giggled and happily wrapped his arms around Elphaba. The green girl smiled softly and returned the hug. A few seconds later, the little boy gently pulled free and bowed quickly before running off to find his mother. Elphaba slowly rose to her full height and sniffed the flower again.

"Looks like I have some competition."

Elphaba turned around to find her husband smirking at her. "He's just a child, Yero."

"I'll have to step up my game, then," Fiyero said as he kissed her cheek. "Come on, we're needed to lead the first dance." The prince led his princess over to the dance floor, where Raal and Amalie were waiting for them, and watched as other couples began to join them. The orchestra began to play and everyone started dancing.

"Having fun?" Fiyero asked, spinning Elphaba around.

"Yes," Elphaba whispered.

A while into the dance, Fiyero felt someone tug on his pant leg. He looked down to see Lyle, his hands shyly behind his back as he looked up at the prince. "Ah, my competition has arrived," he said, smiling down at the little boy.

Lyle bowed.

Fiyero chuckled. "Would you like a turn?"

The little boy nodded. "Yes, please."

Fiyero looked at Elphaba and kissed her nose before making his way over to two young girls dancing together. Elphaba immediately recognized them as Emaly and Melicity, the two girls she helped at the school, and made a mental note to say 'hi' to them.

"Excuse me, ladies, but may I cut in?" Fiyero asked as he bowed.

The girls looked up and squealed. Another song began to play and Fiyero offered his hands to the girls and they began to dance in a circle.

Elphaba smiled at Lyle as she lifted him into her arms and began to dance with him. Lyle let out a happy laugh as Elphaba twirled him around. When the dance ended, Elphaba gently set him down. "Where are your parents?"

"Over there!" Lyle said as pointed to a young couple dancing on the other side of the floor. Giggling, he took Elphaba's hand and gently pulled her over to his parents. "Mama! Papa! I got to dance with the princess!"

Lyle's parents looked up and gasped softly. "Lyle," his father whispered.

Elphaba knew what his parents were thinking and smiled softly. "It's alright. Lyle wasn't any trouble."

Lyle released Elphaba's hand and ran into his mother's arms. The young woman looked from her son, to her husband, then back at the princess. Slowly, a small smiled made its way onto her face and she dipped into a slight curtsy. "Thank you, Your Highness."

Elphaba nodded wordlessly and watched as the small family began to dance together. She sighed softly, making her way back to her husband, who was still dancing with Emaly and Melicity.

"May I join in?" she asked with a smile.

Fiyero smiled. "Of course, Fae."

"We're teaching Prince Fiyero a new dance," Emaly smiled.

Elphaba chuckled. "Well, may I learn this new dance as well?"

Melicity nodded and began filling Elphaba in on the dance movements. Pretty soon, all four of them were dancing together and were joined by more children of all ages.

Elphaba looked up and saw Harv standing off to the side, looking as though he needed to speak with her. Excusing herself, she went over to Harv. "Is something wrong, Harv?"

"The person in the dunking tank had to step out," Harv said, trying to cover up his stress. "We now have no one for the dunking tank and the children are starting to get upset."

Fiyero, having heard Harv, stepped forward. "I'll do it."

Elphaba's eyebrows vanished into her hairline. "You?"

"Why not?" Fiyero shrugged. "The children need someone to dunk. And we can't disappoint the children, now can we?"

"Aren't you the hero?" Elphaba rolled her eyes.

Harv simply smiled and thanked the prince before leading him to the dunking tank.

"Where's Prince Fiyero goin'?" a little girl asked.

Elphaba smiled. "He's going to the dunking tank."

"We get to dunk Prince Fiyero?" Melicity asked, her eyes wide with excitement.

The green girl nodded.

The children began to chatter excitedly and hurried towards the dunking booth.

"What happened?" Raal asked as he came over to Elphaba.

"Fiyero volunteered to sit in the dunking booth," Elphaba said, turning to face her parents-in-law.

Amalie smiled softly. "Fiyero always loved the dunking booth. I bet the children are really excited for this."

"As am I," Raal chuckled, leading his wife and Elphaba away to the dunking booth.

The crowned prince sat in the booth, wearing nothing but swimming trunks, as he watched as the children tried, and failed, to hit the target to dunk him.

"Haven't been dunked yet, son?" Raal chuckled.

"Not yet," Fiyero said, smirking. "I'm impossible to dunk."

One of the boys hit almost hit the target and Fiyero winced.

"Scared, Yero?" Elphaba smirked.

"What? No, of course not."

"I'd like to have a try," Elphaba said to the person running the booth.

Fiyero stiffened. "You're _not_ serious."

"Oh, but I am," Elphaba smiled as she took one of the balls and positioned herself behind the throwing line. All of the children held their breath, waiting to see if Elphaba would hit the target. The princess took a deep breath and threw the ball, hitting the target and dunking the prince.

The children all cheered and clapped while the booth runner helped Fiyero out. He handed the prince a towel and Fiyero stepped behind the booth screen to dry off and change. At that moment, the original person in the dunking tank came back and resumed his position.

"Thanks," the prince muttered to his wife when he emerged, dry and in his clothes once again.

"You're welcome," Elphaba smirked.

"Mom, Dad, why don't you show Elphaba the bouncy house? I have to do something. Meet me on the dance floor in fifteen minutes," Fiyero said as he quickly kissed Elphaba's cheek and hurried away.

"Where are you going, Fiyero?" Amalie called after her son.

The prince simply waved over his shoulder and vanished from. Elphaba, Amalie and Raal continued to walk around and make small talk until it was time to meet Fiyero back at the dance floor. When they got there, they saw the prince standing there with the children behind him.

"Yero, what is this?" Elphaba asked, raising an eyebrow.

The prince simply smirked as he took Elphaba's hand and led her over to the children, who all smiled at her. "Big voices, everyone!" he smiled as he raised his hands. He nodded to the orchestra, who began to play an upbeat tempo song.

"We're making today a perfect day for you!" the children sang.

"Making today a special day!" Fiyero sang to Elphaba as he conducted the singers.

"We're singing a birthday song to make your wishes come true."

"Wishes come true," the prince echoed.

"We love Princess Elphaba…"

"And I love you, too."

"So, we're making today a perfect day," the younger children sang.

"A fabulous day in every way," the older children sang.

"Yes, we're making today a perfect day!" all children sang together. "We're making today a perfect day for you! We're making today a smiley face all shiny and new! So we're making today a perfect day! We're making today a perfect day! We're making today a perfect day for you!"

"Happy birthday," Fiyero whispered aside to his wife.

"Making today a happy day and no feeling blue!"

"I love you, baby!"

"For everything you are to us, and all that you do."

"I do."

"We're making today a perfect day," the younger children started.

"Making today a perfect day," the older children joined in.

"We're making today a perfect day… for you!" they sang together, giggling.

Elphaba watched the entire song with a wide smile on her face. She found herself laughing and clapping when they finished. "That was wonderful. Thank you. Thank all of you."

The children all gathered around Elphaba and wished her a happy birthday. Soon, the festival was closing down and the crowds began to disperse.

"So…" Fiyero said in the carriage on the ride back.

"So…" Elphaba mimicked, looking up at her husband.

"Who's the best birthday surprise organizer ever?" he smiled, gently nudging his wife.

"You are, Yero. Thank you," Elphaba smiled as she leaned her head against the prince's shoulder. "How did they all learn that song on such short notice?"

"Every child in the Vinkus knows that song. It's a very popular song."

Elphaba nodded. "Thank you… again."

"You're welcome, Fae. Happy birthday."

* * *

 **Song Used:**

 ** _"Making Today A Special Day"_** **from Frozen Fever**


	13. Chapter 13

**Ultimate Queen of Cliffies: You know me. Something bad** ** _always_** **happens. The question is… when and what? *Smirk***

* * *

"What would you like to do about the schools, Your Highness?"

Elphaba scribbled something down on a piece of paper and handed it to Harv. "At the end of this school year, all the children will take a test to determine what grade they will be in. They will all be in classes with other students with the same knowledge base as they have."

"More schools will have to be build in order to accommodate for that change."

Elphaba nodded. "I figured that much. Do we have the funds for that?"

Harv smiled. "Of course, Your Highness."

"Good. Is there anything else?"

The castle steward shook his head. "That's all for now, Your Highness."

"Thank you," Elphaba said as she left. She was about to go back to her bedroom when Aya came to her with an envelope.

"This letter just arrived for you from the Gillikin, Your Highness," she said as she handed Elphaba the envelope and curtsied.

Elphaba smiled. A letter from Galinda. "Thank you, Aya."

The maid curtsied once more and walked down the hall. Elphaba settled into the parlor and put on her reading glasses before opening Galinda's letter.

 _Dearest Elphie,_

 _Oh my Oz! Guess what? I got a job working for the Wizard._ The _Wonderful Wizard of Oz! Can you believe it? I'll just be a secretary for now, but Morrible (apparently, she's his press secretary. Don't ask) said that if I worked hard enough, I would be promoted to his Magic Grand Vizier! MAGIC. GRAND. VIZIER! Can you believe it?_

 _Anyway, enough about me. How are you? I hope being a princess hasn't stressed you out too much. I miss you dearly and hope to see you soon._

 _Fondly,_

 _Galinda Upland of the Upper Uplands_

Elphaba smiled as she reread her friend's letter. She was so happy for her. She knew how much getting this job meant to her. Sighing, the green woman rose to her feet and went up to her room to write her friend back.

 _Dear Galinda,_

 _Congratulations! I know how much this means to you. When did Morrible work her way up to being the Wizard's press secretary? Never mind, I don't want to know. I'm so proud of you, Glin._

 _I'm fine. I have to prepare for Raal and Amalie's jubilee celebration, which is coming up soon. Apparently, I'll be part of parade and I have no doubt I'll have many objections to the dress they'll make me wear. I'll be fine, though. Please don't worry about me. I'm getting used to this, no matter how slowly. I'm working on a project to help fix the schools here. We're making a lot of progress and I'm really looking_ _forward to the end results._

 _Yours,_

 _Elphaba (Elphie)_

* * *

Elphaba frowned at her reflection in the mirror. The day of Raal and Amalie's jubilee celebration had finally come. She looked at herself in her long sleeved, dark blue dress with an intricate flower pattern on the front and black lace on the sleeves and skirt and her hair curled and styled in an elegant twist and her frowned deepened.

"Fae, are you ready?" Fiyero asked, coming into the room, wearing his crowned prince uniform.

Elphaba turned. "I look ridiculous."

The prince chuckled and kissed her cheek. "No, you don't. You look beautiful."

The princess sighed. "I know this is a special day for your parents, and I want to enjoy it, but…"

"Hey," the prince whispered as he cupped her face. "I know you're trying. I know all of this hasn't been easy for you, but you're doing an amazing job. After this, I promise we will do something special, just the two of us."

"Okay," Elphaba conceded after a long pause.

Fiyero kissed her nose. "All we have to do is smile and wave. Can you do that for me?"

"Of course, Yero."

The prince grinned and, offering his wife his arm, walked out of the room to the waiting carriages. Raal and Amalie were seated in the first one, an ornate, golden carriage pulled by four white stallions. Fiyero saluted the guard standing by the carriage before opening the door for Elphaba and helping her inside before climbing inside himself. Cally, Windon, and Cally's parents were in the last carriage. Cally waved to Elphaba when she saw her, and the green girl waved back, slightly relieved that Cally would be standing with her. The guards presented their arms and, with a nod from Raal, the carriages pulled off to the square.

Elphaba stayed quiet most of the ride. Fiyero noticed and tried to coax her into talking a bit, but stopped when he saw how truly nervous Elphaba was. Pretty soon, the town square came into sight and the prince gently nudged his wife.

"We're here," he smiled as he began to wave.

Elphaba quickly put her problems aside and waved to the people. She had to do this for Fiyero, and if not for Fiyero, then for Raal and Amalie. It was their special day, after all.

After being paraded around the square, the carriages stopped in the center of town, where the stage was already set up and something covered in a linin sheet off to the side. A guard came and helped Raal and Amalie down before assisting Fiyero and Elphaba. The royal couples continued to wave to the people as they ascended the steps to the stage. The king and queen stood in the center, with Fiyero standing next to his father, and Elphaba standing on his other side. Cally's mother stood next to her older sister, with her husband, Cally and Windon lined up next to her.

After a few speeches were made, the time came to unveil what was under the sheet.

"Your Majesties," the master of ceremonies began. "Please accept this small gift as a token of our appreciation of your dedication and leadership these past twenty-five years. It will be displaced here in the town center for all to see." With a nod, the linin sheet was removed and everyone gasped.

"Oh my," Amalie gasped.

A large statue had been erected in the monarch's honor. Raal stood, tall and proud, one hand wrapped around Amalie's waist, the other pointing out in front of him. Amalie stood next to her husband, gently leaning against him, her hands neatly folded in front of her, and a gentle smile on her lips as she gazed out to where her husband was pointing.

"It's magnificent," Raal beamed. "Thank you. Thank all of you!"

The crowd cheered and the royal family waved before climbing back into their respective carriages and being paraded around the town again before going back to the castle.

"You were wonderful, Elphaba," Cally said as they all ascended the stairs.

"Thank you," Elphaba blushed. "That… that actually wasn't as bad as I thought it would be."

"Did you enjoy yourself?"

"I did."

After tea in the parlor with everyone, Cally excused herself and motioned for Elphaba to follow her. The green girl got up and followed her out the door and walked with her through the gardens.

"Are you stressed out over anything?" Cally questioned as they walked.

Elphaba thought for a moment. "No more than usual. I guess I'm used to it by now."

Cally nodded. "I was just wondering… have you and Fiyero thought about having children yet?" Elphaba stopped in her tracks and Cally immediately regretted saying anything. "I'm sorry. That's none of my business."

"N-No, it's alright. That question just came out of no-where, that's all. But… yes, we talked about it."

"Have you two begun trying yet?"

Elphaba paused.

"I'm sorry. I don't mean to pry. I'm sure you've heard enough of 'the monarchy needs an heir' and all that other stuff, but…"

"We've been trying," Elphaba whispered, looking at the duchess. "We've been trying for the past five months. But…"

"I'm sorry," Cally said, pulling the green girl into a hug. "I didn't mean to make you upset."

"It's alright," Elphaba whispered.

"No, it's not. You have enough on your plate right now. The last thing you need to think about is giving the Vinkus an heir right now."

Elphaba forced a smile and looked up at the duchess. "I'll be okay."

Cally didn't look convinced, but nodded as she gently linked her arms with the green girl and led her through the rest of the garden.

* * *

"I. Am. _Tired_!" Fiyero said as he collapsed into bed.

Elphaba, who had been reading, smiled softly, but didn't look up from her book. "You're always tired."

The prince pouted. "What's _that_ supposed to mean?"

"Nothing."

"Mmhmm." The prince pulled her into a kiss, simultaneously taking her book away from her.

"Yero," Elphaba muttered against his lips.

"I marked your page. Don't worry," Fiyero said, disregarding the book as he deepened the kiss.

Elphaba moaned softly, allowing Fiyero to caress her and kiss her neck. She grunted softly when she felt him on top of her, but didn't complain. Suddenly, her eyes flew open and she gently began to push him away.

"Fae?" the prince whispered.

"I… I'm sorry, but… I don't want to try anymore," Elphaba whispered. "At least, not now."

Fiyero knew why Elphaba was saying these words. He would never be able to forget the look of devastation on her face when she didn't get pregnant. "Are you okay?"

Elphaba sighed. "I don't know. I never really pictured myself as the 'mothering type' anyway. Maybe… maybe I'm not meant to have children."

"What makes you say that?"

"Yero, we've been trying for months, and nothing's happening."

"Fae, these things take time. It's not something that happens right away. Sometimes it happens quickly, sometimes not. But… do you want to have children? I mean, neither of us have a lot of free time right now, and…"

"Yes," Elphaba said, her voice just above a whisper. "I do."

The prince smiled and gently pulled Elphaba into another kiss. "We'll start trying again when you're ready."

"Thank you, Yero," Elphaba smiled as she slid under the covers and settled into her husband's arms. She murmered something as she began to fall asleep and snuggled closer to him.

Fiyero murmered something back and kissed her forehead before stroking her hair, sleep coming much later for him.

* * *

 **The picture of Elphaba's dress in on my blog (link in bio).**


	14. Chapter 14

**Superclauds (Guest): Just write. I'm sure you don't suck at writing, so when an idea comes to your head, just write it down.**

 **BillyJay936: No, the Wizard won't be a problem, so that's one less thing you have to worry about.**

* * *

Fiyero hummed to himself as he walked down the hall with a tray of food for Elphaba. Even though it was early June, it was beginning to get hot, and also since she wasn't feeling the greatest, Fiyero snuck out of bed to surprise his wife with some cold cereal and orange juice. "Good morning, dearest love of my li- Fae?" Elphaba was nowhere to be found. He stepped into the room, looking at her empty side of the bed. "Fae!"

"Hmm?"

Fiyero turned around and found Elphaba leaning against the doorway, looking pale, tired, and in pain. "Are you alright?" he asked, placing the food down and going over to his wife.

"I'm fine," Elphaba muttered, covering her mouth to burp.

"Are you still sick?"

"I… I've been throwing up all morning."

"All morning?"

Elphaba nodded. "I didn't want to wake you, so I kept slipping out of bed to go to the bathroom."

Fiyero gently collected Elphaba into a hug and kissed her forehead. "I'm sorry you're not feeling well. I wish I could make it better."

Elphaba relaxed into her husband's arms, but quickly pushed away when she felt the familiar, yet awful, feeling in her stomach. She quickly dashed back to the bathroom, with Fiyero not close behind her. Kneeling down behind her, the prince held her hair back as she emptied the contents of her stomach.

Once she was finished, she leaned back against Fiyero, groaning. The prince softly stroked her hair, whispering soft words of comfort to her.

"Aya!" Fiyero called after Elphaba pushed herself up and threw up again.

Aya came rushing to where she heard Fiyero's voice. "Your Highnesses, is everything alright?"

"Elphaba isn't feeling well. Could you please get something to settle her stomach?"

The maid took one quick look at the princess and, nodding, hurried away.

Fiyero continued to gently stroke his wife's hair. "Fae, this has been going on for the past three days. Maybe we should call the palace doctor and…"

"I don't need a doctor," Elphaba mumbled.

"If you're sick…"

"Fiyero, I don't need a doctor," Elphaba said stubbornly.

"Well, do you know why you're sick?" Fiyero asked evenly.

Elphaba remained silent and closed her eyes against an oncoming headache.

"I'd bet a doctor would."

"Shut up."

Fiyero noticed the softness and weakness of Elphaba's voice and closed his mouth. "I'm sorry," he whispered.

Whimpering, Elphaba turned in Fiyero's arms and leaned against him. "It's okay."

By afternoon, Elphaba's stomach had calmed, and Fiyero had talked her into letting his parents send for the palace doctor to examine her.

"Well, Your Highness, everything seems to be just fine," the doctor said as he packed up his bag.

Elphaba, who was sitting alone on the bed, stared at him. "What about the throwing up every morning?"

"It just means that both of you are doing perfectly well."

Elphaba blinked. Did he just say… "B-Both of us?"

The doctor smiled and nodded. "Yes, Your Highness. I'm very pleased to announce that you are, indeed, with child."

Elphaba breath caught in her throat. She was pregnant? Since when?

"I would say you're about two weeks along," the doctor said, as if reading her mind.

Suddenly, it all clicked in Elphaba's mind. The morning sickness… _everything_ made sense. She was pregnant. She and Fiyero would be expecting a child. "When…"

"I would say sometime in February," the doctor smiled.

Elphaba smiled softly and slowly trailed her fingers against her abdomen. She couldn't believe that there was an actual life growing inside of her. "Thank you," she whispered softly, looking back up at the doctor.

"You're welcome, Your Highness," the doctor bowed. Smiling, he grabbed his bag and left.

Moments later, Fiyero ran in and hurried to his wife's side. "Are you alright, Fae?"

Elphaba playfully rolled her eyes. "Yes, Yero. I'm fine."

"What did the doctor say?"

Elphaba thought quickly. She didn't want to tell Fiyero she was pregnant. At least, not yet. Not until she was in the safe zone. "It's just a stomach cold. I'll be fine."

"Did he give you any medication?"

The green girl bit her lip. "I… he… no."

"What?"

"He said I didn't need any," Elphaba said quickly, determined to put her husband at ease. "Just to make sure I rest and drink lots of fluids. I'm fine, Yero. Really."

The prince slowly softened and sighed. "Okay, Fae. If that's what the doctor said…"

* * *

Elphaba continued to have morning sickness for the rest of the month, and into the second month. Fiyero continued to question her about her "stomach cold", saying that she should take some medicine, but Elphaba kept insisting that she was fine. She made frequent trips to the library and read books about what to expect during pregnancy. She was glad she was able to pass of her fatigue and crabbiness as a result of the intense, summer heat. But, during her third month, she knew she wouldn't be able to hide it anymore.

It was the middle of August, one of the hottest days of the year. Elphaba had insisted that she was fine since her morning sickness had stopped and could carry out her normal duties. Currently, the princess was with Harv, reviewing the material for the upcoming school year.

"This is very good," she said as she approved the science curriculum.

"Thank you, Your Highness," Harv nodded.

Smiling, Elphaba stood up, but stopped, a sudden wave of dizziness overcoming her.

"Your Highness?" Harv asked, concerned.

"I'm fine, Harv." Elphaba took a step forward, but it only made her feel dizzier. The last thing she remembered before everything went black was Harv rushing towards her and catching her in his arms.

She woke up hours later in her bed, with Fiyero sitting next to her, holding her hand. "Yero?"

"I'm right here," Fiyero whispered, stroking her hand.

She lifted her free hand and felt a cold cloth against her forehead. "What…"

"You fainted, Elphaba," Amalie said gently, appearing in the green girl's line of vision.

Elphaba made to push herself up, but Fiyero pushed her back down. "No, Elphaba. You need to rest."

Elphaba blinked. Fiyero had used her full name. And he sounded upset... and a bit angry. "But…"

"Don't argue." And serious.

Elphaba bit her lip, but nodded and leaned back against the pillows.

"We'll give you two some time alone," Raal said as he and Amalie walked out.

Fiyero looked down at his wife with an expression she had never seen before. "What's going on, Fae? First, you throw up every morning, then you have a fainting spell out of nowhere."

Elphaba slowly closed her eyes. This was it. She had to tell him now. "I… I haven't been completely honest with you, Yero."

"I figured _that_ much."

Elphaba winced slightly at his tone, but continued. "But I wasn't lying when I said that I was fine. Actually, we're both fine."

The prince looked confused until Elphaba pushed herself up, pushed back the covers and straightened her dress against her abdomen so the prince could see her slightly-formed baby bump. Fiyero blinked, then realized what Elphaba was saying. "Fae… you're… we're…"

"Yes, Yero. I'm pregnant," Elphaba smiled.

"How… when did you find out?"

Elphaba bit her lip. "Three months ago, when I started having morning sickness… that I said was a stomach cold."

The prince blinked, looking hurt. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't want to tell anyone until I knew it was safe. I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner, Yero. I knew how worried you were and…"

"It's okay, Fae. I understand," Fiyero said, gently pulling Elphaba against him and kissing her hair.

"You… You're not mad?"

The prince shook his head. "No. I'm not mad. I'm relieved that you're not sick, but I'm not mad that you didn't tell me. I'm just so happy."

"Me too."

"When are you due?"

"Sometime in February."

"How are you feeling?"

"Much better now that I don't have to hide that secret from you."

The two continued to cuddle until the sun began to go down. "Do you feel like eating now?" Fiyero asked gently.

Elphaba smiled softly. "Maybe a little something."

Fiyero nodded and helped Elphaba to her feet. Happily, the couple intertwined their fingers and walked down to dinner.

* * *

 **This story is officially 28 chapters long, including an epilogue. Also, I hoped you enjoyed this fluff, 'cause in the next chapter… well, you'll just have to wait and find out.**


	15. Chapter 15

**AnOreoForElphie: I'll get 'To Be A Princess' up once I stop procrastinating and focus on writing the chapter. LOL! I actually started writing it a while ago. I just have to finish it.**

* * *

"Fae, wake up, sweetheart."

Elphaba hummed as she slowly opened her eyes, smiling up at her husband. "Hi."

"Hi. Do you know what today is?"

Elphaba frowned slightly. "Yero, it's too early for…"

"Do you remember?"

Elphaba sighed as she pushed herself up. She wracked her brain for the date, but couldn't remember. Silently, she cursed her 'baby brain'. "What's today?"

"September fifteenth."

"What's so special about September fifteenth?"

The prince pouted. "How could you forget?"

"Was there something I was supposed to remember?"

Fiyero blinked. "Well, I would hope that my wife would remember our _wedding anniversary_ , but…"

Elphaba looked confused, then the realization dawned on her. "Oh Oz! Yero, I'm so –"

"It's okay. I'll let you blame the 'baby brain'," the prince chuckled, leaning over and kissing her cheek. "Happy anniversary, Fae."

"Happy anniversary, Yero," Elphaba said as she snuggled into her husband's embrace. "Can you believe it's been a whole year?"

"A bit," Fiyero said. "This year went by quickly."

"Yeah," Elphaba hummed.

"Are you hungry?"

"A bit."

Smiling, Fiyero helped his wife to her feet and the two got ready for the day.

"You're glowing," Fiyero smiled.

Elphaba chuckled and gently placed her hand against her abdomen. "Pregnancy glow."

"How are you feeling?"

"Fine… right now. That will probably change later."

Breakfast was a busy affair. Fiyero and Raal ate and talked, but stopped doing it at the same time when Amalie gave them a disapproving look, while she and Elphaba sipped their tea and made small talk. After eating, Fiyero and Elphaba spent the rest of the day together. Fiyero said they could spend the day doing what Elphaba wanted to do, which he immediately regretted saying when she led him into the library. They curled up on a couch in the corner, with Elphaba's head resting on Fiyero's chest. She had pulled another book from the shelf and was quietly reading. The prince alternated between reading over her shoulder and nodding off, before eventually falling asleep, soft snores escaping his lips.

Elphaba looked up and closed her book before snuggling against her husband and falling asleep. Harv came into the library, looking for the royal couple, but when he saw them napping peacefully on the couch, he left, figuring that what they needed to do could wait until later. A few hours later, he came back and woke them up, claiming it was time for dinner. Yawning, the two pushed themselves up and walked with Harv, their hands intertwined.

After dinner, Fiyero pulled Elphaba up back to their room. "I have something to give you," was all he said when Elphaba questioned as to why.

Deciding not to probe, knowing he wouldn't tell her anyway, Elphaba simply followed Fiyero back to their room.

"Happy anniversary, Fae," the prince smiled as he revealed a box he had been hiding under his pillow.

"Yero…" Elphaba whispered as she took the box. "You didn't have to get me anything."

"How long have you known me?" the prince smirked.

Elphaba chuckled and opened the box and gasped, pulling out a beautiful, sparkly, diamond necklace. "It's beautiful."

"As befits the crown princess of the Vinkus," Fiyero smiled as he gently took it from her and helped her put it on.

Elphaba gently touched the large diamond resting on her chest. "I… I'm sorry I didn't get you anything."

"You've already given me the greatest gift in the world."

Elphaba smiled as Fiyero wrapped his arms around her and looked at him through the mirror. "The baby?"

Fiyero chuckled. "That… and agreeing to be my wife."

"Well, someone has to make sure you don't declare a national 'Dancing Through Life' Day when you become king."

The prince pouted a bit. "Who told you about that?"

"I know you, Yero."

"Fine," the prince huffed.

"Or a 'National Day of Sleeping in and Not Doing Anything' Day."

Fiyero opened his mouth, but then immediately closed it. "You know what, from now on, I'll just keep all of my kingly decrees to myself, thank you very much."

Elphaba quickly turned and planted a kiss on Fiyero's lips. "It's for your own good. But we should probably get to bed, now. You can think of more –and _better_ – ideas while you sleep."

"My ideas are very good!" Fiyero protested, but helped Elphaba undo the necklace before getting ready for bed.

"Of course they are, Yero. Of course they are."

* * *

As Elphaba's stomach continued to grow, she began experiencing some of the more well-known side effects of pregnancy. She found herself sitting down more often, losing energy very quickly. She would wake up in the middle of the night from leg cramps, and a half-asleep Fiyero would have to rub her legs until the pain subsided. He would also rub her swollen feet, and Elphaba opted to either walking barefoot or wearing Fiyero's slippers, which were much more comfortable to her.

"How are you feeling?" Fiyero asked as he rubbed Elphaba's feet one afternoon.

"Miserable," Elphaba muttered, shifting her position on the couch.

"It's only four more months."

"Says the man who's not pregnant."

Fiyero finished rubbing his wife's feet and moved to sit next to her on the couch. "Better?"

"Yeah," Elphaba hummed, slowly closing her eyes. "Thanks."

"You're welcome."

Harv chose that moment to enter the parlor. "Excuse me, Your Highnesses, but I need you to approve the notice that will be put in the paper announcing Her Highness' pregnancy."

Elphaba opened her eyes and looked over the announcement. _New Royal Baby Expected. Prince Fiyero and Princess Elphaba are expecting their first child. The new royal heir is expected to arrive sometime in February and the royals couldn't be more excited._

"This looks fine, Harv," Elphaba said as she handed the paper to Fiyero.

"Looks good," the prince agreed, handing the paper back to Harv.

"Thank you, Your Highnesses," Harv bowed and turned to exit.

The couple stayed in a comfortable silence for a while, before Fiyero broke it. "Fae, I have to tell you something."

Elphaba looked up. "Yes?"

The prince took a deep breath. "I… I have to leave." The look Elphaba gave him told him he needed to explain further. "It's my duty, as the crowned prince, to go on a military tour."

"And you're choosing to go now?" Elphaba asked calmly, closing her eyes again.

"I'm sorry, Fae, but it couldn't be helped. I've put this off long enough. Believe me, I don't want to leave you, especially when you're like this, but…"

"Where are you going?"

The prince paused a long time before whispering, "The Quadling Country."

Elphaba's eyes shot open and she turned to look at her husband. The Quadling Country was at war with Ev over the Qhoyre Mountains, since they were located directly on the border. It started out as a minor dispute a few months prior, but soon escalated into a full-blown war. "Yero, they're fighting there."

"I know."

"And you'll be fighting with them?"

Fiyero closed his eyes and slowly nodded.

"You'll be on the front lines?"

"Yes, I will."

"When do you leave?"

Fiyero shrunk a bit. "Tomorrow."

"And you're telling me this _now_? Only one day in advance?"

"I'm sorry, Fae. Really, I am. I didn't mean to wait until the last minute to tell you something like this… again, but I just didn't know how to tell you when you weren't feeling well."

Elphaba clenched her fists. "How long will you be gone?"

The prince paused a very long time before answering. "Four months."

"FOUR MONTHS!?"

Fiyero winced and nodded slowly.

The green girl stood up, surprising her husband. "No."

The prince also stood up and sighed. "Fae…"

"No. You're not leaving me again. I wouldn't be able to cope with that, especially if…"

"If what?"

Elphaba took a shaky breath before continuing. "Especially if you don't come back."

The prince softened. "Oh, Fae. I promise I'll come back. Everything will be fine. I promise."

"You can't make promises like that," Elphaba said, fighting tears. "You don't know what will happen. They're _fighting_ over there, Yero! Fighting!"

"It's my duty. I have to go."

"Since when have you ever cared about your duty?" the green girl spat.

The prince stiffened. He had been trying really hard to leave his 'dancing through life' days behind, especially after marrying Elphaba. He had been trying to do his duty to his country. It wasn't easy, but he had been trying really hard, and he thought he was going a good job. "Elphaba, I understand how hard this is for you, but…"

"Don't. Just don't. If you want to go, fine. I can't stop you," Elphaba said as she walked out of the room, her hand pressed against her lower back.

"Elphaba!" the prince called, but knew he was being ignored. Sighing, he collapsed onto the couch and rubbed his eyes.

He didn't see Elphaba for the rest of the day. He knew she was hiding from him in the library, but didn't know if he should go after her. She had a good reason to be mad at him, but at the same time, he had to go. His father had told him that he had no choice since he waited so long. He had to go to the Quadling Country and fight on the front lines. Of course he didn't want to leave his pregnant wife, but he had no choice. He would come back in four months and everything would be fine.

When he went into the room that night, he saw Elphaba already in bed, her back facing him. Not knowing whether or not she was asleep, he tiptoed into the room and quietly slipped under the covers. He gently wrapped his arm around her, but released her when he felt her stiffen against his touch.

"I'm sorry, Fae. I love you," the prince whispered before falling asleep.

When Fiyero woke up in the middle of the night, Elphaba wasn't in bed. He figured that she just had to go to the bathroom and would be back soon, but when she took longer than he thought she would, he got out of bed in search of her. The bathroom door was slightly ajar, with the light on, and he knocked on the door. "Fae?"

"Go away," came Elphaba's soft reply.

"Fae, are you alright?"

"I said go away."

Biting his lip, Fiyero pushed the door open, revealing Elphaba, clad in her nightgown and a towel covering her nose and mouth. "Fae, what's wrong?"

Elphaba turned away from her husband. "I told you to go away."

"And _I_ asked you what was wrong," Fiyero said as he entered the bathroom and began to gently pry the towel away from Elphaba's face. She resisted, but he was persistent. He eventually pulled the towel away and gasped, seeing blood flowing down from her nose. "Fae…"

Elphaba snatched the towel back and pressed it against her nose, turning away as hot tears streamed down her cheek.

"How long has this been going on?" Fiyero asked gently.

"At least forty-five minutes," Elphaba whispered. "I read that nosebleeds were a side-effect of pregnancy, but it didn't say anything about it being this bad."

"Why didn't you wake me up?"

"You have to leave in a few hours. You need all the rest you can get."

"So do you."

Elphaba shot her husband a look and turned away from him.

"Here, try this," Fiyero said as he took a washcloth, wet it with cold water and pressed it against Elphaba's nose. Elphaba winced, but accepted the cold cloth. After a few minutes, Fiyero took the cloth, wet it again, and pressed it against Elphaba's nose. He continued this a few more times until Elphaba's nose stopped bleeding. The prince immediately pulled her into a hug and stroked her tangled bed-hair.

"I want to hate you so much right now," Elphaba murmured against his shoulder.

"I know, Fae. It was really brainless of me to wait this long to tell you."

"But… I don't."

"Don't what?"

"Hate you."

The prince pressed a gentle kiss to her hair. "I'm sorry."

The couple spent a few minutes holding each other close, neither of them wanting to let go.

"I'm tired," Elphaba muttered after a while.

"I know, Fae," Fiyero whispered, rubbing her back. Elphaba moaned softly and Fiyero gently tightened his grip around her. "Let's go back to bed."

Nodding, Elphaba allowed Fiyero to lead her back to their bedroom and help her into the bed. "I'm sorry I yelled at you," she whispered as she snuggled into Fiyero's arms.

"It's okay," the prince whispered, kissing her forehead and rubbing her back. "It's my fault, too. I should have told you earlier."

"I don't want you to go."

"I know. I promise I'll be extra careful. I'll think about you every moment of every day and I'll write to you every week."

Elphaba made a soft noise and Fiyero stroked her hair away from her forehead. "I'm sorry it has to be like this. I wish I could just stay here with you. There have been many times when I wish I wasn't a prince so it could just be us. But…" He gently tilted Elphaba's head to look him in the eyes. "Even if I wasn't a prince, you would still be my princess."

Even though it was dark, Fiyero could have sworn he saw Elphaba blush.

"You're tired," she finally said. "You have a lot of traveling to do in a few hours."

"I may be exhausted, but I meant every word I said," Fiyero said through a yawn. "I love you, Fae."

"Mmm. Love you, too," Elphaba mumbled sleepily before snuggling closer to her husband, clinging to him as she drifted off to sleep.

* * *

 **This is the start of the bad thing, within another bad thing, within yet another bad thing.**


	16. Chapter 16

**TheSacredEntei: No spoilers. Sorry!**

 **StamiSprite (Guest): LOL! Happy super early birthday/ Fiyeraba day!**

 **AnOreoForElphie: I would love to make those days real. Who do I speak to about that?**

* * *

Later that morning, Elphaba sat in the parlor, reading. She heard Fiyero and Raal's voices in the hallway, but didn't pay them any attention to them. She was still devastated that Fiyero was leaving to go to war. She finally heard footsteps approaching her and she reluctantly looked up, seeing Fiyero in his crowned prince military uniform and hat.

"Hi," the prince said, removing his hat.

Elphaba stood up. "Hi."

"Well… this is it."

Elphaba hurried as fast as she could to Fiyero and pressed her lips against his. The prince responded quickly and kissed her back, wrapping his arms around her waist.

"I'll miss you," Elphaba whispered when they pulled away.

"I'll miss you, too, Fae." He kissed her forehead and buried his nose in her hair, inhaling the scent of her shampoo. "You'll keep me posted on our little one, right?"

Elphaba nodded. "Of course. Be careful, Yero."

"I will. I promise. I'll be back by the time our little one comes." He slowly pulled away and pressed his hand against Elphaba's baby bump. Kneeling down, he placed a tender kiss on it. "I'll come back," he promised their unborn child.

Elphaba was fighting tears with all her strength. She practically threw herself against the prince when he stood back up. "I love you," she whispered.

"I love you, too. I'll see you in four months," Fiyero whispered back, pulling her into a kiss they both didn't want to pull away from. The prince reluctantly pulled away after a few moments and put on his hat before turning and walking out the parlor. When he got to the doorway, he turned and looked back at Elphaba, giving her a small wave before turning and walking out the door, servants walking behind him with his bags.

Elphaba stayed rooted to the spot, staring off into space. Fiyero was gone. And he would be for the next four months. Amalie and Raal walked into the parlor and the Queen gently wrapped her arm around Elphaba. "Would you like some tea, Elphaba?"

"No," Elphaba whispered, still staring at the spot where Fiyero stood moments ago. She heard the carriage drive off and bit back a sob.

Amalie nodded and gently pulled her into a hug. Elphaba looked up and noticed that the Queen was fighting tears just as hard as she was. She wondered what it was like to see her only son go off to do his duty fighting in a war.

"He'll be alright," Amalie whispered, kissing Elphaba's hair.

"Yes," Elphaba whispered. "He will be."

* * *

As promised, a letter from Fiyero soon came. He had arrived at the military base in the Quadling Country and was doing fine. Everyone was extremely nice to him and congratulated him on being an expectant parent. Winter was coming and it was beginning to get cold at the base, but he said he was keeping extra warm with the blankets his mom had packed him. Elphaba smiled as she read Fiyero's letter, hearing his voice in her head as her eyes scanned the paper.

Letters from Galinda and Nessa also came. Galinda was more than happy to begin calling herself 'Auntie Galinda' and was already working on finding the perfect baby clothes. Elphaba rolled her eyes and sighed, hoping that Galinda wouldn't buy anything pink, though knowing the blonde, she should expect it. Nessa had said that she was extremely happy for her sister and that their father sends his congratulations.

 _He probably doesn't_ , Elphaba thought, but replied to her sister and best friend anyway.

"Hi, Elphaba," Amalie said as she entered the parlor and sat next to the green girl.

Elphaba looked up and smiled. "Hi."

"How are you feeling?"

Elphaba looked down at her stomach. "Fine."

The Queen smiled. "I was wondering if you and Fiyero had discussed possible baby names yet."

Elphaba paused. "Not really. No."

Amalie nodded. "Well, I supposed I should probably tell you now. It's a tradition –well, more like an unofficial rule– that the new royal child is named after a past royal family member."

Elphaba nodded, expecting that much. "Who is Fiyero named after?"

Amalie smiled. "He's named after one of his great-great uncles, who died in early childhood. There's a whole collection of royal archives in the library if you were interested in doing a bit of research."

"Thank you." Elphaba gave the Queen a small smile before standing up. She made to walk out of the parlor, but stopped, her hand flying to her abdomen.

"Elphaba, what's wrong?" Amalie said, concern filling her voice.

Elphaba was still for a moment, then her face broke into a large grin. "Nothing. It's just… the baby's moving."

Amalie let out a small, joyful laugh. "May I feel?"

Elphaba nodded and Amalie gently placed her hand against Elphaba's stomach, feeling the baby make small, jerking motions. "Seems to me like he or she has the hiccups."

Elphaba laughed as she pressed her hand against her abdomen, feeling the jerking motions once more. She fought to keep the smile on her face when she realized that their child was moving, and Fiyero wasn't there to witness it. Pushing away her thoughts, she made her way to the library.

"Ah, Your Highness," Cato smiled, giving the princess a slight bow. "How are you feeling?"

"Fine, thank you, Cato," Elphaba smiled. "Where are the royal family archives?"

The old Owl smiled softly. "Thinking of baby names?"

Elphaba blinked. "How did you know?"

"You're not the first one who came here in search of the royal archives," Cato chuckled. "And I'm positive you won't be the last. Follow me."

Elphaba followed the Owl to the rather large royal archives section.

"I hope you find what you are looking for," Cato bowed.

"Thank you, Cato," the princess smiled as she reached for a book and settled down at the desk.

She read through some of the stories and studied some of the names; King Eder, who led the Vinkun army in the war against the Gillikin; King Hillel, who saw the Vinkus through the Great Drought, King Joachim, who was recorded as a kind, gentle, compassionate king who did his best to serve the people. For some reason, his story intrigued Elphaba. He set in place the school system, the school system she herself was working to improve. He was a very 'people person' king. He didn't reign on the throne very long. He only reigned fifteen years before falling ill and dying. She also read the very short story about Fiyero Tilitus Miklio, Fiyero's great-great uncle. Taking down notes on the names she liked, she moved to the queens; Queen Dekilah, Queen Ebaline, Queen Izla, Queen Alenna. All of the queens did something that stood out in history. She also looked at the princes and princesses who didn't live long enough to make their mark in Vinkun history, but were still never forgotten. There were also other family members; Joax Caten, the Duke of Rashing Ridge; Dyran Rupus, the Duke of Litrary Bondskins, and many others.

She looked at the list she had created and narrowed it down to the top five for boy and girl names she likes and made a mental reminder to herself to include her findings in her next letter to Fiyero.

* * *

As the weeks wore on, Elphaba continued to get more and more uncomfortable. It was now mid-November, and Elphaba in in the middle of her sixth month. Her nose bled a few more times, keeping her up in the middle of the night. Her feet swelled and her back ached. She was convinced that the baby was making a game out of how hard he could kick her organs and how long he could keep her awake at night.

"Elphaba, are you feeling alright?" Amalie asked when she came into the parlor.

Elphaba, who was resting on the couch, didn't even both to force a smile at the sight of the Queen. "No."

"Is there anything you want?"

"Cold ginger water," Elphaba said, rubbing her chest against her heartburn.

Amalie nodded and called for Aya, who quickly ran to fulfill their wishes. She quickly returned with the glass of cold ginger water. Amalie helped Elphaba into a sitting position and handing her the glass.

"Better, Elphaba?" the Queen questioned when Elphaba drank half the glass in less than five seconds.

"Yes, thank you," Elphaba said as she put the rest of the glass down and leaned back against her pillow. "Aya…"

"An extra pillow, Your Highness?" the maid guessed.

This time, Elphaba smiled. "Yes."

Nodding, Aya hurried away to fetch another pillow. By the time she got back, Elphaba was peacefully asleep. As slowly and as gently as she could, Amalie helped Elphaba sit up so Aya could place the pillow behind her back.

"Thank you, Aya," Amalie said, nodding to the maid.

"You're welcome, Your Majesty," the maid curtsied.

As Aya left, Harv came in with a stack of letters. "The mail has arrived, Your Majesty."

"Thank you, Harv," Amalie smiled as she took the letters from Harv. She went through them and smiled when she saw Fiyero's letter. There was one addressed to Elphaba, and another addressed to Amalie and Raal. The Queen gently shook Elphaba awake and announced that a letter had arrived from Fiyero before handing her the envelope.

 _My dearest Fae,_

 _I love all the names you picked out. The names, and the reasons why you chose them, will suit our child perfectly. But since you're asking me my favorites, I'd have to go with Joachim or Joax for a boy, and Izla or Alenna for a girl. Don't forget, the middle names are important, too, but I'll let you handle that._

 _I'm sorry I'm not with you while you're going through this, Fae. I know this isn't easy for you, but you have my parents. They're really supportive and will make sure you're not alone._

 _Remember that, no matter what, I love you with all of my heart and soul, and not a second goes by that I don't think of you and our child. I'm counting down the days until we are reunited again. Please know that I am safe and I'm being extra careful._

 _Yours forever,_

 _Yero_

Elphaba wiped away a tear from her eye and looked up at Amalie, who was still reading her letter. The baby gave her a hard kick to her ribs and she made a noise of surprise and pain, causing the queen to look up. "Hard kick?"

Elphaba nodded as she rubbed her abdomen, taking a deep breath.

Amalie smiled softly. "Fiyero did that to me. He always gave me the hardest kicks at the most unexpected, and sometimes inconvenient, times. He also never seemed to want to settle down, even after he was born."

Elphaba chuckled and sighed. "This baby is _definitely_ Fiyero's child."

The Queen laughed and patted Elphaba's knee.

* * *

 **So, any guesses on the baby's gender and name?**


	17. Chapter 17

Elphaba stared out the window as snow fell from the sky. She absently rubbed her stomach, her thoughts far away. She gasped in surprise when the baby decided to suddenly kick her ribcage. She caught herself on the windowsill and took a few deep breaths to recover.

"Thank you," she muttered to her stomach.

She got another kick as a reply. She decided to sit down, hoping the baby would calm down as well. After a few moments, when she didn't feel any more kicks, she decided to search for Raal and Amalie. She didn't have to look long, as they were in the throne room.

"Elphaba, hi," Amalie smiled as she looked up from a document she was looking over. "Is everything alright?"

"Yes, everything's fine. I just… need something to occupy my mind," Elphaba said softly.

"You want to sign these bills? Be my guest," Raal said, sounding serious, though smiling.

Amalie chuckled. "Why don't you go to the library?"

"I don't think I can climb all those stairs anymore," Elphaba said sadly, rubbing her stomach.

The King and Queen nodded. "Well, Raal and I are trying to think of a way to solve this problem," Amalie said as she turned her attention back to the document in her hand.

Elphaba stepped closer. "What problem?"

"A very bad case of meningitis has spread throughout the villages, and a lot of the children have fallen ill," Raal reported.

"Will they be alright?"

"Hopefully. Hospitals are doing their best to help everyone, but so many children are sick."

Elphaba spent the rest of the afternoon with Raal and Amalie, trying to help them figure out what to do, then excused herself to her room to lie down. When she woke from her nap, she looked over to see a letter from Fiyero on her nightstand. Someone must have placed it there while she was sleeping. Slowly, she reached out and, grabbing the letter, tore it open.

 _Dearest Fae,_

 _I'm sorry our little one isn't giving you the easiest time. I know you wish I was there with you so you could yell at me and tell me how much you hate me for doing this to you (jokingly, I hope), but please know that I am proud of you. You're the kindest, bravest person I know, and that makes me even more proud of you._

 _Things are getting pretty rough here, but please know that I am safe. I will be EXTRA careful, Fae. Don't worry. Try to remain as de-stressified as possible. I would tell you not to worry about me, but I know you're going to, no matter what. I know you're worried about me, and I'm worried about you. I will do everything I can to make sure I come home safely._

 _I love you so much, Fae. I'll be home soon._

 _All my love,_

 _Yero_

Elphaba reread the letter again, hearing her husband's voice in her head. She smiled softly. Of course she was worried about him, but she knew Fiyero would fight his hardest and try his best to remain safe.

"Your father is a very brave man," Elphaba said softly to her stomach. "I hope you get to meet him."

* * *

Two weeks later, two days before Lurlinemas, two large packages arrived for Elphaba. Aya and Harv carried them up the stairs to Elphaba's room, where Elphaba was sitting on her bed, propped up on pillows, writing to Fiyero.

"Pardon me, Your Highness, but these two packages came for you," Harv said as he knocked on Elphaba's door.

Elphaba looked up and motioned for the two to come in. They gently placed the packages on the bed next to her. Elphaba thanked them and the two nodded before leaving, leaving the door slightly ajar.

Elphaba turned the boxes over and looked at the labels. One was from Galinda and the other was from Nessa. She opened the blonde's package first and was surprised to find several hand-knit baby articles. A letter was taped to the inside of the box and Elphaba carefully removed it before reaching for her reading glasses.

 _My dear Elphie,_

 _I'm so sorry I haven't written much, but my new job with the Wizard is more demanding than I first thought. I shall not begin to go into the details, as I will probably tire myself out if I have to think about it for one more second._

 _In this care package, you will find hand-made (by moi) baby clothing, including some little hats, mittens, scarves and sweaters. Pink is if it's a girl (I still think it will be, by the way) and the light blue is for a boy (which I will be able to live with), but could also be used for a girl. I hope you and Fiyero enjoy them._

 _How are you feeling? I hope your little one isn't given you too much trouble. If it makes you feel better, it will all be over in two months, which is also when Fiyero will be back from the Quadling Country._

 _And Elphie, I know you're worried about Fiyero. You have every right to be. But please don't stress yourself out. He will be fine. I know it._

 _Your bestest best friend for life,_

 _Galinda Upland of the Upper Uplands_

Elphaba smiled at the blonde's letter and continued to go through the clothes. Once she had organized them, she neatly placed them back in the box and pulled Nessa's box closer to herself. She opened the box and gasped, pulling out something she hadn't seen in years.

Her baby blanket.

It looked new, all washed and re-sewn together. The light blue color and the dark purple polka dots looked brighter than she remembered it. She ran her fingers over the soft material as she took out Nessa's note.

 _Dearest Fabala,_

 _I hope this gets to you before Lurlinemas. The snow in Munchkinland has put the mail service a bit behind schedule. Father found your old baby blanket in the attic and thought it would be a good idea to have it washed and fixed and send it off to you. He seems happy (excited even) to become a grandfather, even if he doesn't really show it. I think it was a kind gesture on his part to send you your baby blanket. I remember how much you used to carry it around the house with you until Father said you were too old to keep it with you. You used to love it. I know your child will, too._

 _I hope you are feeling well. I love you and miss you dearly and can't wait to see you soon._

 _Your loving sister,_

 _Nessa_

Elphaba felt tears begin to form in her eyes and she put the letter aside and ran her fingers over the soft cotton blanket. She did used to love that blanket. If she thought hard enough, she could faintly remember her mother wrapping her in the blanket and rocking her to sleep during a storm, humming a soft lullaby. She wiped away her tears, choosing to blame the pregnancy hormones for her mood swings and neatly folded the blanket and placed it back in the box.

The smell of food soon reached her nose and she realized it was almost time for dinner. A soft grunt escaped her lips as she pushed herself up and slipped her feet into her slippers. Sighing, she rubbed her growing stomach and slowly walked down to the dining room.

When she got to the dining room, Raal and Amalie were already seated. They looked tired and a bit sad, but forced small smiles when they saw Elphaba.

"Is everything alright?" Elphaba asked as one of the maids pulled out a seat for her.

Amalie opened her mouth to answer, but closed it again. She looked at Raal, who's face was neutral as he took a sip from his goblet. She turned back to Elphaba. "Fiyero is fine, Elphaba. There's no need to worry."

"Something else happened," Elphaba said softly.

"We'll tell you after dinner," Raal said gently.

Blinking, Elphaba nodded weakly and began to eat. If the bad news wasn't about Fiyero, then what had happened?

After dinner, Raal and Amalie motioned for Elphaba to follow them into the throne room. Aya helped Elphaba to her feet and, nodding her thanks, the green girl followed the King and Queen out of the dining room.

"What happened?" Elphaba asked when the throne room door closed behind them.

Harv approached the Queen with a packet. Amalie took the packet from Harv and turned back to Elphaba. "The meningitis outbreak has ended."

Elphaba blinked. "That's… that's wonderful news, isn't it?"

"Yes," Raal said softly. "But a lot of the children didn't make it."

Elphaba licked her lips. Amalie slowly approached the green girl and handed her the packet. "This is a list of all the children who passed on because of the outbreak."

Elphaba took the packet. She didn't have her reading glasses, but she could still make out the names of the children and their ages. She scanned the list, pausing when she recognized one of the names.

 _Emaly Grandon – Age Fourteen_

Elphaba gasped. Emaly was one of the girls from the school. She had died in the outbreak? She continued to read the list when she saw a name that almost made her burst into tears.

 _Lyle McGoren – Age Five_

No. No, it couldn't be. Maybe she had just read it wrong. She blinked, but the name was still there. Sweet, little Lyle, the little boy she had met before she became a princess; the little boy who she had danced with at the Spring Festival; the little boy who said he had liked her green skin. Gone.

"Elphaba?" Amalie asked when Elphaba covered her mouth with a sob.

"No," Elphaba whispered, blinking back tears.

"What is it, Elphaba?" Raal asked, stepping forward to steady the green girl.

"Lyle." Elphaba shook her head. "It can't be."

"You knew him?" Amalie asked.

Elphaba nodded as a tear rolled down her cheek. "I… I met him before the wedding, when Fiyero and I went into the village. He… he was so sweet. He… he said that he liked my green skin. And he wanted to dance with me at the Spring Festival and Fiyero made a joke about him being his competition and…"

Amalie lovingly rubbed her arm. "Maybe you should rest now, Elphaba. I understand this is quite the ordeal for you right now." She called Harv and Aya and asked them to escort Elphaba back to her room. Nodding, the steward and maid gently took Elphaba's arms and led her back up the stairs to her room.

The rest of the night was a blur to Elphaba. She laid in her bed, staring up at the ceiling, clutching Fiyero's pillow against her chest. She inhaled deeply; the pillow still smelt like him.

"Lyle," Elphaba whispered, clutching Fiyero's pillow tighter. "I'm so sorry, Lyle."

* * *

 **So… um… okay, I felt really bad about this. I loved Lyle. He was so cute. But… then this happened… and… um… yeah. That was Bad Thing Number Two.**

 **Also, today is a very special day. Today, August 21, is Fanfiction Writers Appreciation Day. It's a day that is used to show Fanfiction writers of all fandoms how much we appreciate their writing. Sometimes, we fanfiction writers feel underappreciated when we spend a lot of time planning stories and then we see the amount of hits we have, but the review count isn't even 2% of that. It may not seem like a lot to someone who doesn't write fanfics, but it's the reviews that keep us writers going, especially if we took the time to pre-write the story to keep updates regular for everyone, and they really do mean a lot to us. Of course I appreciate everyone who reads, favorites, and follows my stories, but it kind of upsets me that a very small percentage of readers take the time to review when I, and so many others, take the time to carefully plan out and write a story.**

 **All I'm asking is that if you're reading this, please take a few moments to leave a review in the box below. If you're reading this on a mobile device, just click on the 'Review' button. Guest reviews are welcome, too.**

 **Thank you all so much and have a nice day!**


	18. Chapter 18

**Wow! Thank you all so much for your support via reviews! 14 reviews in the last chapter! WOWZERS! Special shoutout to BillyJay936 for being the 100** **th** **reviewer! YAY! Virtual cupcakes for all!**

 **Ultimate Queen of Cliffies: I'm not mean, I'm *whispers* wicked. And aww, I appreciate you, too! :-)**

 **Doglover645: Of course there's a round three!**

* * *

Lurlinemas came and went, but Elphaba wasn't in a very festive mood, which everyone understood. The green girl had spent most of her time in bed, saying that she didn't want to be disturbed unless mail came from Fiyero, Galinda, or Nessa. The maids and servants, who didn't know about the children, thought it was because of her pregnancy, which wasn't a total lie. The princess still suffered from swollen feet, backaches, and tiredness. She didn't attend the Lurlinemas Ball, claiming to be too tired. Amalie and Raal allowed her to stay in her room, knowing that the pregnancy wasn't the only reason for her requested absence.

"Your Highness, are you ready?" Aya asked as she knocked on Elphaba's room door.

Elphaba stood in front of her mirror, listlessly staring at her reflection. She made no move or acknowledged the maid as she slowly entered the room. She reached for her hairbrush, but stopped and pulled her hand away.

"Would you like me to do it, Your Highness?"

Elphaba finally turned and nodded slightly at Aya. Smiling, the maid took the hairbrush as Elphaba moved to sit down. Slowly and carefully, Aya ran the brush through the princess' long, raven hair.

"Would you like it down, Your Highness?"

When Elphaba didn't tell her how she wanted her hair, Aya grabbed a simple, silver hairclip and clipped the front sections of Elphaba's hair back.

"Is this to your liking?"

Elphaba looked at herself in the mirror. She looked less exhausted than she felt. She forced a small 'thank you' to Aya before pushing herself to her feet, making sure her reading glasses were in her pocket, and walked out of the room.

"Your Highness, are you sure you feel like doing this today?" Harv asked gently.

Elphaba narrowed her eyes slightly. "Yes."

The steward blinked, but nodded as he helped Elphaba with her coat.

"Elphaba, Harv will escort you to the church and back," Raal said gently, walking out of the parlor with Amalie.

Elphaba nodded wordlessly as she put on her scarf, gloves and hat.

"Elphaba," Amalie whispered, approaching the green girl and gently taking her hand. "I think this is a very sweet gesture you're making. I know how much you cared for the children." She looked at the green girl and fought a frown. She looked like she hadn't slept in days. "If you're not up for this…"

"I'm fine," Elphaba said, fighting the waver in her voice.

The Queen nodded and gently kissed the green girl's cheek before stepping back. Harv stepped forward and offered her his arm, which she gratefully took, and allowed him to lead her out the door. When they were halfway to the carriage, Elphaba cringed as the baby gave her a hard kick, but recovered as quickly as she could and continued to walk towards the carriage without looking at Harv.

Once she and Harv were settled in, the carriage sped off to the church, where the families of the deceased children were gathered for a service. Elphaba remained completely silent the entire journey, alternating from staring out the window to playing with the hem of her coat. Finally, the church began to come into view. Harv lightly touched Elphaba's knee, silently trying to comfort her. Whether he was ignored or Elphaba didn't feel it was a mystery to the steward and he simply sat back once again.

The carriage finally halted to a stop and Harv assisted Elphaba out and led her inside the church. When she entered, a few heads turned around. Soft gasps and murmurs were heard; the people were obviously not expecting the princess to show up at their memorial service.

Harv helped her with her coat and winter accessories, then walked her to the front of the church to the podium. Elphaba quickly glanced at all of the pictures of the children who didn't make it through the outbreak and bit back tears, wanting to stay strong for the parents. She pulled out her reading glasses and the speech she had prepared and began to address the people.

"Vinkun people," she began. "We have been through a very trying time. Never, in Vinkun history, has an outbreak been this devastating. I cannot begin fathom the pain and grief you all are dealing with."

Elphaba heard a few people begin to sob as she spoke, and she discreetly placed her hand against her abdomen. She looked around. Adults and children of all ages sat in the church, some looking up at her, others sitting with their heads bowed or buried in their hands. Wives were wrapped in the protective embraces of their husbands and were silently crying. The green girl took a deep breath before beginning to read the names of the children who had died.

"Marget Aynan, Ruba Cobinne, Bali Colbein, Pip Durbin, Emaly Grandon, Hannalyn Johab, Tryon Jydi, Kylean Lemnon, Lyle McGoren…"

She heard a loud cry, followed by sobbing, and knew immediately it was Lyle's mother. She managed to get through the rest of the names without sobbing and mentally sighed in relief when she had finished. She made the last minute decision to stay after the rest of the ceremony to offer words of comfort to the parents. The steward didn't question her decision, but looked a bit concerned. Some of the parents approached her, bowing and curtsying, before thanking her for coming. Elphaba put her best foot forward and tried to remain as gentle and as composed as possible.

After a while, most of the families began to clear out. Elphaba looked over and saw Lyle's parents standing in front of their son's picture. She took a deep breath before slowly approaching them.

"Mr. and Mrs. McGoren?"

The couple looked up and gasped softly. "Y-Your Highness."

Elphaba smiled softly and looked at the picture. "I'm so sorry for your loss. Lyle was such a sweet boy."

"Thank you," Mrs. McGoren whispered. Her gaze rested briefly on Elphaba's stomach and she quickly averted her gaze back to Lyle's picture, but not before Elphaba noticed.

"Was Lyle…" the princess started, but stopped. Should she ask such a question? She bit her lip, but the couple seemed to want her to ask her question. "Was he… your only child?"

Mrs. McGoren stepped closer to her husband, who immediately wrapped his arms around his wife.

"I'm sorry," Elphaba quickly apologized. "I didn't mean to pry."

"It's alright," Mrs. McGoren said once she found her voice. "Yes, he is… was." Lowering her gaze, she reached into her bag and pulled out a folded piece of paper. "He… he wanted you to have this."

Carefully, Elphaba took the paper and unfolded it, smiling softly when she saw a drawing of all the children singing to her on her birthday during the Spring Festival. "Thank you." The baby gave her ribs a hard kick and she inhaled sharply, briefly rubbing her stomach.

Mrs. McGoren nodded, her gaze falling back on Elphaba's stomach, staring at it almost wistfully. Elphaba caught her staring, but made no indication that she minded, or even noticed. It was almost as if Mrs. McGoren was longing for another child; another child she wouldn't be able to have. She thought about all the children. All the children who would never have children of their own, all of the seats that would be empty at dinner tables, and all of the Lurlinemas presents that would remain unopened.

After offering her condolences and excusing herself, she found Harv and the two traveled back to the castle.

"That was a very nice thing to do, Your Highness," Harv said as a silence stretched between them.

"Thank you," Elphaba said tiredly.

Harv nodded and let the conversation drop. They soon reached the castle and he helped her down and walked her up the stairs. Amalie and Raal were there to greet her, but she quickly excused herself, saying that she felt tired and wished to lie down. Once she was in her room, she laid down on her side and studied the drawing much closer. It was very good, considering that a five-year-old had drawn it. She smiled as she easily picked herself out, bring the only green stick figure. She soon found sleep beginning to cover her and she slowly closed her eyes, the picture resting against her stomach.

* * *

A package from Fiyero arrived the next day. When Elphaba opened it, she found a beautiful, silky scarf made from a special material she had never seen before. She smiled as she ran her fingers over the material and grabbed Fiyero's letter.

 _Darling Fae,_

 _I'm sorry I have missed our second Lurlinemas together. This isn't how I wanted to spend our holiday. I know this silk scarf won't make up for it, but hopefully, it will do until I return. The snow here gave us a bit of a cease-fire, which I am very grateful for. The Evians are ruthless in their fighting, and we have lost a considerable amount of men. Please don't worry about me, though. I'm fine._

 _How are you? I hope our little one still isn't given you a lot of trouble. And Fae, I know you don't want me to say this, but please let Mom, Dad and the maids help you. I know how you feel about people helping you, but please._

 _As always, I love and miss you dearly. I shall return to you soon, my love. (It's forty-six more days… and still counting down)_

 _All my love,_

 _Yero_

Elphaba sat down at her desk, planning her letter to Fiyero. Should she tell him what had happened? No, she could tell him when he got back. He had enough on his mind at the moment.

 _Dear Yero,_

 _I'm so glad you're safe. But, of course, I can't help but worry about you. I know I already told you this, but please stay safe. I wouldn't be able to bare it if something happened to you._

 _The baby and I are both fine. Every week, he or she keeps growing, even though it makes it a bit harder for me. Your mother makes sure I sit down a lot of I'm having trouble breathing. I've also started to notice stretch marks, which I hope Galinda will never notice. I've gained a few more pounds, but the books say that's normal. I have also felt our baby begin to get the hiccups._

 _The nursery looks beautiful. It's a beautiful sky blue color, with white and dark blue furniture. Your mother found your old teddy bear and Nessa sent me my old baby blanket. Galinda also sent some clothes (they're not all pink, don't worry)._

 _I can't say this enough; I love you, Yero. I love you with all my heart and soul. I hope you are safe and warm. Please be careful. I'll see you soon._

 _Your green girl,_

 _Fae_


	19. Chapter 19

"Your Highness, dinner is ready."

Elphaba moaned and didn't even bother to look up as Aya lightly knocked on her door and pushed it open. She was due to deliver any day and spent most of her time in bed.

"Would you like me to bring up something?"

"No, thank you, Aya. I'm not very hungry," Elphaba said, slowly closing her eyes.

"Very well, Your Highness," Aya smiled as she curtsied and went out the room.

Elphaba pushed herself up as best as she could and rubbed her large stomach. "Hey, you in there. You're taking you're sweet time, aren't you? I hope your father gets back before you arrive. I know he'll be so excited to meet you." She got a light kick in response and chuckled softly. "I know he'll be back in time."

* * *

The next afternoon, Elphaba felt the urge to get up and walk around. Confused, since she had been feeling tired and clumsy for the past month, decided to trust her instincts. She slowly made her way downstairs and into the parlor, but stopped when she heard loud sobs. She turned and walked as quickly as she could to the throne room, where she saw Amalie collapsed in her husband's arms, sobbing hysterically. Raal was also crying, but not as hard as Amalie, as he tried to wipe away her tears. Harv stood off to the side, giving the royal couple a sympathetic look.

"What's going on?" Elphaba asked as she waddled into the room.

Amalie turned slightly in her husband's arms, clinging tighter to him. Raal simply shook his head at the green girl and turned to Harv. The steward nodded and approached the princess. "Come with me, please, Your Highness."

Scared, Elphaba followed Harv out of the throne room and into the parlor. He dismissed the maids who were dusting and helped Elphaba sit down in one of the armchairs.

"Harv, what's going on?" Elphaba asked. Her eyes widened slightly as she thought of something. "It's about Fiyero, isn't it?"

Harv took a breath, not knowing where to begin. "Your Highness… there was… there was an explosion…"

"No," Elphaba whispered, placing her hand over her mouth.

"At the base where Prince Fiyero was…"

"No," Elphaba said, a bit louder.

"The base was nearly destroyed, resulting in a great number of causalities. A telegram came and –"

"Harv, stop, please!" Elphaba begged.

"They haven't found Prince Fiyero yet."

A loud cry escaped from Elphaba's throat and the steward immediately placed his arms around her. "I'm so sorry."

"No… Fiyero… not Fiyero…" the princess cried.

"Your Highness –"

"He promised me that he would come back. He promised!"

Harv didn't even bother trying to say anything. He simply held the princess as she cried. After a while, her sobs died down and he escorted her back to her room.

"Yero…" Elphaba whispered brokenly before falling asleep, Fiyero's pillow clutched tightly against her chest.

Elphaba refused to leave her room after that. Amalie and Raal had made a few trips to try and comfort her, but it didn't do much good. Elphaba could tell that they were trying to be strong for her, and she appreciated it, but she just didn't feel like seeing anyone at the moment, which everyone understood.

Three days later, early in the morning, Elphaba was awoken by a tightening feeling in her abdomen. She started panicking, thinking something was wrong, until she felt a warm liquid sliding down her legs. She frowned, knowing she was too old to have accidents, but when she didn't smell anything out-of-the-ordinary, her eyes widened. She was in labor. Squinting in the dark, she tried to find the little bell Harv gave her to use if she ever needed something and couldn't get up. She found it and made to ring it, but stopped. She felt guilty about ringing this early in the morning, but fear overtook her as it sunk in what was happening. She rang the bell and soon heard hurried footsteps coming from down the hall.

"Your Highness, is everything alright?" Aya asked as she entered the room, fighting a yawn.

"I'm sorry to wake you, Aya, but could you please get the King and Queen?" Elphaba asked, her voice soft.

The maid seemed to weigh the pros and cons of waking up the king and queen, but did as the princess requested. Soon, Raal and Amalie rushed into the room, with Aya close behind them.

"Elphaba, are you alright?" Amalie asked, her voice slightly husky with sleep.

"I… I think my water just broke," Elphaba whispered, rubbing her stomach.

She heard Amalie gasp softly and rub her arm, telling her that everything will be fine, while Raal told Aya to send for the midwife.

"I'm sorry for waking you up like this," Elphaba said as Amalie helped her sit up against the pillows.

"It's alright, Elphaba," Raal said, covering his mouth to yawn. "When Amalie was in labor with Fiyero, she woke up the entire castle."

Elphaba chuckled softly, but stopped when she felt a contraction rip through her body, and was faintly aware of Amalie reminding her to breathe. When the contraction subsided, she looked up at the queen.

"I know," Amalie whispered, knowing what Elphaba was thinking and kissed her forehead.

Elphaba's labor progressed slowly. She allowed Amalie to convince her to get up and walk around outside for a bit, but had to go back when the contractions got stronger.

"You're doing well, Your Highness," the midwife said as she checked the princess' dilatation. She gently placed her hand against her abdomen, but frowned slightly.

"What's wrong?" Elphaba blinked.

"The baby seems to be in the breeched position," the midwife said, gently moving her hand up. "If he or she doesn't turn into the right position soon…"

"What will happen?"

The midwife licked her lips. "This delivery could be very dangerous for both you and the baby."

Elphaba bit her lip. She couldn't lose the baby.

"Don't worry, Your Highness. There is still time for the baby to turn. For now, I would get as much rest as possible. You'll need all of your strength later."

Elphaba sighed and leaned back against the pillows as the midwife left. She twirled a section of her hair around her finger. She was tired, but for some reason, she couldn't sleep. She closed her eyes and tried to relax, but opened them again when Amalie came in with a cup of tea.

"How are you feeling?" the Queen asked as she set the teacup down and sat on the edge of the bed.

"Fine. Tired, but fine." Elphaba tried to smile, but was gripped with another contraction.

Amalie smiled sympathetically and helped the green girl onto her side and rubbed her back. "Breathe, Elphaba."

Elphaba took a few forced inhales of air and slowly calmed. Moaning, she tried to turn over, but Amalie gently held her down.

"Try to stay on your side."

Nodding, Elphaba remained still as Amalie stroked strands of hair behind her ear. "The baby's breeched."

"I know. The midwife told me."

Elphaba slowly looked up at Amalie. "How are you feeling?"

The Queen smiled softly, knowing what Elphaba was referring to. "I'm fine, Elphaba."

"But…"

"Why don't we just focus on you for the time being, okay?" the Queen interrupted gently, rubbing Elphaba's back.

Elphaba got Amalie's message and nodded, shifting uncomfortably.

"Why don't we try this?" Amalie said as she rose to her feet and disappearing out of the room, returning with a small bag of ice.

"What is that for?"

"If you place this on your stomach, it might get the baby to turn away from the cold and into the right position," Amalie said as she gently placed the ice on Elphaba's upper abdomen.

The green girl winced at the temperature and tried to move away, but Amalie stopped her. Sighing, Elphaba did as the Queen instructed and tried to stay still. Soon after, she felt it working as the baby squirmed and turned away from the ice pack. It wasn't the most comfortable experience for her, since she received more than one kick to her ribs, but relaxed as she felt the baby turn upside down, the way it was supposed to be. "I think it worked."

Amalie removed the ice pack and gently placed her hand on Elphaba's abdomen. "Yes, it did," she smiled.

"Can I get up now?"

Amalie frowned slightly, but nodded and helped the green girl to her feet. "Where are you going?"

"To the bathroom."

The Queen smiled softly. "Alright. Just come right back and lie down."

Elphaba nodded and allowed Amalie to help her up. The Queen watched as Elphaba waddled away to the bathroom, one hand resting against her abdomen, and the other on her back. When she came out, instead of going back to her bedroom, she wandered down the halls, when she stopped. She turned, seeing a slightly ajar door, and walked inside. The baby's nursery. She walked around, trailing her fingers against the furniture as she walked over to the crib in the corner. Her baby blanket was already in the crib, along with a brown teddy bear that belonged to Fiyero when he was younger. The green girl gently picked up the bear and clutched it against her chest.

"Yero…" she whispered. "They will find you, Yero. I know they will."

"Elphaba, there you are."

The princess jumped and whipped around, seeing Amalie standing in the doorway.

"I told you to come back to bed."

"I… I'm sorry," Elphaba whispered, putting the teddy bear back. "I… I just needed to walk around for a bit."

The teddy bear didn't go unnoticed by the Queen, and she gently took the green girl's arm. "Are you feeling alright?"

Before Elphaba could answer, she was hit with a very strong contraction and practically fell against Amalie. Luckily, Amalie caught her and guided her to the rocking chair and helped her sit down.

"It's almost time," she whispered to a somewhat panicking princess. "Don't worry, Elphaba. Everything will be alright."

Elphaba nodded and allowed Amalie to help her to her feet and lead her out of the room, back to the bedroom.

"Aya, please get the midwife!" Amalie called to the maid, who was approaching from the opposite direction. "And tell the King what's happening."

"Right away, Your Majesty," Aya nodded, hurrying down the hall.

Moments later, the midwife came into the room and checked Elphaba's dilatation. "You're almost ready, Your Highness."

Elphaba looked around. The only people in the room with her were Amalie and the midwife. She knew that if Fiyero was there, he wouldn't have been in the room with her, but at least he would be near her on the other side of the door. "Does Raal…"

"I sent Aya to tell him. Don't worry about it, Elphaba. Just focus on giving birth. It will take all of your concentration."

Elphaba nodded and as her contractions grew closer and closer together, she began to grow more tired and worried. Aya returned and stood in the corner, waiting to assist the midwife if needed.

"Alright, Your Highness, it's time," the midwife said from the foot of the bed.

Elphaba nodded and began to push with all her strength. Amalie squeezed her hand, whispering words of encouragement to her and wiping sweat from her forehead.

"Aya, I need the towels!" the midwife shouted over Elphaba's screaming.

The maid nodded and hurried to get the towels.

"Only a few more pushes, Your Highness."

Elphaba moaned and leaned back against the pillows. "I… I c-can't do this."

"Yes, you can, Elphaba. You're doing great," Amalie said, wiping her hair away from her face.

"N-No… it's too much."

"You're almost there, Your Highness," the midwife said, taking the towels from Aya.

Elphaba whimpered and, taking a deep breath, pushed with all her remaining strength. After what felt like an eternity, a thin cry filled the air.

"It's a boy!" the midwife cried triumphantly as she began to clean the baby off.

Elphaba made a noise that sounded like a choked laugh and Amalie kissed her forehead. "Congratulations, Elphaba."

The midwife cut the umbilical chord and checked him over before handed the newborn over to his mother. "Seven pounds, eight ounces. And he's got a healthy pair of lungs on him."

Elphaba looked at the child she and Fiyero had created together. She could already see that he had his father's eyebrows, cheeks, hair, and lips, and her nose and ears. "Hi," she whispered tiredly, stroking her son's cheek.

The baby slowly opened his eyes and looked up at his mother. Elphaba smiled, already seeing that he would have her eyes.

"He's beautiful, Elphaba," Amalie smiled. "Can I go get Raal?"

Elphaba nodded, and Aya was already walking towards the door before Amalie could turn around. She soon returned with the King, who immediately went to Elphaba's side.

"He's beautiful," he smiled, admiring his new grandson.

"Thank you."

"Elphaba, have you and Fiyero decided on a name?" Amalie asked gently.

The green girl nodded. "We did. Joachim. Joachim Liir Miklio Tigulaar."

The King and Queen nodded approvingly. "That's a beautiful choice, Elphaba," Amalie smiled.

Joachim let out a small cry, wanting to be fed. Amalie and Raal gently kissed Elphaba's forehead before leaving, claiming that Elphaba needed some time alone to get to know her new son.

After brief instruction, Elphaba began nursing Joachim.

"I've waited so long to meet you," Elphaba whispered once Joachim finished and was beginning to fall asleep again. "I just hope your father gets a chance to meet you as well."

* * *

 ***Runs into Kiamo Ko, bolts door, runs down secret passageway, and hides* So, I'm just gonna stay down here for a while, or at least until the Nia Hunters go away. But at least we have a Fiyeraba baby. That makes things a tiny bit better, right?**


	20. Chapter 20

**Thank you to all of the people who are currently protecting me, or decided to put the Nia Hunters on a bit of a hiatus.**

 **Thank you all so much for your reviews. If I get this much response, maybe I should do this more often. JK, but really, thanks! :-) Now, if you'll excuse me. *Goes back into hiding from Nia Hunters***

* * *

A soft cry woke Elphaba up in the middle of the night. Groaning, she slowly turned over and opened her eyes. Yawning, she got out of bed and shuffled over to the nursery. "Good morning to you, too, Jo," she muttered sleepily, rubbing her eyes. Sighing, she pushed herself up and gently lifted the newborn into her arms. Jo continued to fuss and cry, but stopped as soon as Elphaba sat down in an armchair and began to nurse him. Once he was finished, she burped him and made to put him back down when a distinct smell reached her nose.

"Really?" she muttered, looking at her son, whose face was beginning to contort in discomfort before he started whimpering. "Okay, okay, I'll change you now." She quickly got out a fresh, cloth diaper and began to change him. She had just wiped Joachim clean when he decided to have an accident all over the changing table. She blinked back tired tears and groaned. She changed her son as quickly as she could and set him back down in his crib before showering and changing her nightgown. A loud sigh escaped from her lips as she climbed back into bed and immediately fell asleep, knowing she would have to repeat everything in another three hours.

Finally, the sun rose, and Joachim rose, yet again, with it.

"Hi, sweetie," Elphaba said as she gently lifted Jo into her arms and kissed his forehead.

The newborn slowly opened his eyes and looked up at his mother. He slowly clenched and unclenched his fists, his eyes never leaving her face.

"Good morning," Elphaba whispered as she began to nurse him.

Jo nursed soundlessly and finished quickly. Elphaba smiled as she gave him a bath, but her smile quickly finished when she dunked him in the warm water and he started screaming.

"It's alright, Elphaba," Amalie said as she came into the bathroom. "First baths aren't always fun."

Elphaba smiled faintly as she wrapped Joachim in a towel and dried him off. "I bet."

"Fiyero hated baths, and was very vocal about it, when he was a newborn," Amalie smiled, getting a far away look in her eyes.

Elphaba nodded wordlessly and went back to the nursery to dress Joachim and get herself dressed.

Breakfast was a silent affair. Aya watched Joachim while the royal family ate. Elphaba finished first and excused herself. She took her son from Aya and went up to put him down for his nap. She took paper and a pen with her so she could write letters and still be close in case Joachim started crying. She wrote letters to Galinda, Nessa, and Cally, telling them that she had a son, named Joachim (Jo) Liir Miklio Tigulaar, and that he was perfectly healthy.

 _I can't wait for you to see him_ , she wrote. _He's beautiful. He looks a lot like Fiyero._

She refrained from telling them the news about Fiyero, at least, until they got more information. Elphaba knew there was a chance he was still alive, not matter how small, and was clinging to that very small hope.

That afternoon, more news came. Elphaba was changing Joachim when a letter on official war stationary came addressed to Raal and Amalie. Raal opened it, with Amalie clinging to his arm. They read it together, exchanging a look once they finished, and went to find Elphaba.

"Elphaba, dear?" Amalie asked, knocking on the nursery door.

"Come in," Elphaba called from the other side.

Amalie slowly pushed the door open and saw Elphaba cradling Jo against her chest, rocking him back to sleep. The green girl looked up and smiled, but faltered when she saw the paper Raal was holding.

"What's wrong?" she asked, slowly rising to her feet, careful not to wake Jo.

Raal smiled softly. "Fiyero's alive."

Elphaba's face lit up. "Fiyero's alive?"

"Yes. He suffered a broken leg, but is healing quickly and will return soon," Amalie smiled, tears of joy filling her eyes.

Elphaba looked down at her sleeping son. "Daddy's coming home, Jo," she laughed softly as she kissed his cheek.

Jo slowly opened his eyes, made a face and yawned before going back to sleep. Elphaba laid him in his crib before hurrying over to the king and queen. Amalie quickly opened her arms and collected the green girl into a hug. Raal quickly wrapped his arms around both women and chuckled softly.

"Everything's alright," he reassured them.

"Fiyero's coming home," Elphaba whispered, tears spilling from her eyes.

The Queen laughed softly and gently wiped her tears away. "Yes, darling. He's coming home."

* * *

A week had past since then, and Elphaba became more stressed than ever. No matter what she did, Jo would not stop crying. Amalie tried to reassure her that that was how newborns were, but Elphaba didn't seem to believe her.

"I'm an awful mother," she whispered miserably when she tried to rock a crying Jo to sleep.

"Elphaba, you are most certainly _not_ an awful mother," Amalie said, placing a hand on Elphaba's shoulder.

"Then why won't he stop crying?"

"May I?" Amalie asked, holding out her arms.

Elphaba nodded and gently handed the baby over. Amalie gently held him against her shoulder and rocked him from side to side.

"He's just a bit cranky," she reassured the green girl, who had collapsed into the rocking chair.

Pretty soon, Jo was fast asleep. Amalie placed him in his crib and looked at Elphaba, who was very close to falling asleep herself. The Queen smiled, helped Elphaba to her feet, and led her out of the room.

"Try to get some rest, dear. If Jo cries, I'll take care of him," Amalie smiled, kissing the green girl's forehead.

"Thanks," Elphaba muttered gratefully before falling asleep.

Hours later, Amalie gently tiptoed into Elphaba's room and gently placed her hand on her shoulder. "Elphaba," she whispered, gently shaking the green girl. "Elphaba, wake up, sweetheart."

The green girl shot up, looking panicked. "What's happened? Is Jo alright?"

Amalie quickly pulled the green girl into a hug. "Don't panic, Elphaba. Everything's fine."

Elphaba took a deep breath and calmed down. "Okay."

"The queen smiled. "Come into the parlor when you're ready."

"What's in the parlor?" Elphaba frowned.

The Queen simply smiled and patted her arm before leaving. Sighing, Elphaba got out of bed and looked at herself in the mirror. She frowned at the dark circles under her eyes and quickly brushed her hair before tying it back in a bun. Smoothing out her dress, she looked at herself again and declared that it was the best she could do before heading to the parlor. When she got there, what greeted her brought tears to her eyes.

"Yero," Elphaba whispered.

The prince turned around and smiled. "Hi, Fae," he said softly.

Laughing, Elphaba hurried over to him and quickly wrapped her arms tightly around him. The prince stumbled back, and it was only then that Elphaba noticed the cane in his right hand and the cast on his right leg.

"Sorry," she whispered as she gently pulled away.

Fiyero pulled her back and pressed his lips against hers. "It's okay," he whispered when they pulled apart. He gently placed his hand against her cheek and wiped away her tears. "I'm alright."

"I was so worried about you."

"I know. I was worried about you, too. Not a day went by where I didn't think about you and how you were feeling. I know this wasn't the easiest for you, Fae, and I'm so proud of you."

Elphaba leaned her head against the prince's chest, grateful to hear his heartbeat again. "I love you."

"I love you, too, Fae."

The couple spent the evening alone, sitting on the couch and enjoying each other's company. Fiyero's leg was propped up on a stool as he told Elphaba about his experience in the Quadling Country. Elphaba sat next to him, telling him about what had happened while he was gone.

"Oh, Fae," Fiyero whispered when Elphaba told him about the meningitis outbreak. "I'm so sorry you had to go through that alone."

"I was alright," Elphaba said softly, kissing her husband. She snuggled closer him and lightly traced patterns against his chest.

"So," Fiyero began after a comfortable silence. "I was told we have a son."

Elphaba smiled. "I'll go get him." Quickly kissing his nose, she got up and hurried up the stairs to the nursery.

Fiyero waited patiently for his wife to return, and started to get a bit worried when she didn't. His worries were eased when he saw her come back, carrying a small bundle in her arms.

"I'm sorry I took so long. I had to feed and change him," Elphaba said as she sat back down and handed Jo over to his father.

Fiyero gently took his sleeping son and looked down at him. "What's his name?"

"Joachim Liir Miklio Tigulaar. I call him 'Jo' for short."

The prince smiled and gently stroked his son's cheek. "He's beautiful, Fae. How old is he?"

"A week."

Jo slowly opened his eyes and looked up at his father for the first time.

"Hi, little guy. I'm so glad to finally meet you," Fiyero whispered, kissing his forehead.

"Say 'hi' to Daddy, Jo," Elphaba teased.

Jo seemed perfectly content with staying awake and looking up at his father. He clenched and unclenched his fists, his eyes shifting between his mother and father.

"He's very observant," Fiyero smiled.

Elphaba took Jo and sat him on her knee. "He is, although he doesn't do much except eat, sleep, cry, and poop."

The prince laughed.

"And he's also started to develop an interest in pulling my hair. I've started to have to keep it pulled back when I'm around him. Isn't that right, Jo?"

Jo's eyes crossed slightly and he started to drool. Elphaba smiled as she used the soft cloth on her shoulder to wipe it up. Fiyero gently held out his finger to Jo, who quickly grasped on.

The prince smiled and pretended to shake his hand. "Have you been giving Mama a lot of trouble?"

"No more than any newborn would," Elphaba smiled, looking down at Jo and gently rubbing his back. "He's a good baby."

"Let's hope it stays that way."

Jo stayed awake for a while, longer than Elphaba expected him to. He let out a yawn and a stubborn cry when he grew tired and wanted to go to bed.

"Looks like he's not the only one," Fiyero smiled when Elphaba yawned and rose to her feet. He slowly rose to his feet and stretched. "You go put Jo down. I'll meet you in the room."

Elphaba looked up at him. "You don't need help getting up the stairs?"

The prince smiled softly. "I'll be fine. You just put Jo to bed." He pulled her into a kiss, careful not to squish his son. "I love you."

"I love you, too, Yero," Elphaba smiled as she disappeared, leaving Fiyero alone to begin his very slow journey up the stairs.

When Elphaba got back to the room, Fiyero was already in his pajamas and in bed. "Hey," he whispered.

"Hey," Elphaba whispered back, grabbing a nightgown and quickly going into the bathroom to change.

"How is he?" Fiyero asked as Elphaba climbed into bed.

"He's fine. I didn't expect him to stay awake like that today. I guess he was really excited to meet you."

"I was really excited to meet him, too. He looks a lot like you, Fae."

"He looks like you, too, Yero."

"I know. I noticed my _dashing_ looks in him already," the prince laughed, earning him a gentle jab to the ribs. "But seriously, he's perfect."

"Let's hope it stays that way."

The prince smiled as he gently stroked his wife's cheek. "Have I ever told you how beautiful you are?" he smiled as he wrapped his arms around her and kissed her cheek.

Elphaba gave her husband a watery smile as tears formed in her eyes. "I've missed you, Yero. So much. I'm so glad you're alright."

"I've missed you, too, Fae," Fiyero smiled as he rubbed circles on her back, allowing her to cry softly against his chest, knowing she had to get it out. "I love you," he murmured softly.

Elphaba sniffled. "I love you, too, Yero my hero."

* * *

 ***Slowly peeks head out of hiding place* Is it safe to come out now?**


	21. Chapter 21

***Comes out of hiding place* So glad that the Nia Hunters are no longer after me.**

* * *

"Good morning, Jo," Elphaba smiled as she lifted the two month old out of his crib and held him against her chest. "Today's a big day, isn't it?"

Jo looked at his mother and blinked before reaching for her nose.

Elphaba laughed and nuzzled her nose against Jo's. "Yes, it's a very big day for you. Your christening day."

"Good morning to my two favorite people," Fiyero smiled as he entered the room, his slight limp barely noticeable.

Jo turned his head and reached for his father, who immediately picked him up and gently twirled him around in the air before holding him close and kissing his cheek.

"Hey, buddy. You ready?"

Jo smiled and stuck his fingers in his mouth.

"That's the spirit!" the prince smiled. He turned to his wife. "What time are Galinda, Nessa, and Cally coming?"

"They should be here before the start of the ceremony," Elphaba said as she got a clean diaper out.

The prince nodded and handed Jo back to his mother. "I'll see you at breakfast."

"M'kay," Elphaba hummed as the prince kissed her cheek and disappeared. She changed and fed Joachim before dressing him in his silver christening robe. Once she was finished, she laid Jo back in his crib before getting herself ready. She decided on floor length, silver dress with an intricate bodice and flowing skirt with a bow on the side. She then took Jo and went down for breakfast and saw Amalie, Raal and Fiyero already seated.

"Good morning, Elphaba," Amalie smiled at the princess.

"Morning," Elphaba smiled as she sat Jo in a high chair in between her and Fiyero and began to eat.

"Are you excited for today?" Raal asked, eating a forkful of eggs.

"It's going to be a long day," Elphaba said, tickling Jo. "I just hope he makes it through."

The baby laughed and playfully swatted at his mother's hand.

"He'll be fine, Fae. Don't worry," Fiyero smiled, kissing his wife's forehead.

"If he has your energy, he will be," Elphaba chuckled.

It was mid-morning when Nessa and Frex arrived.

"Say 'hi' to Aunt Nessa, Jo," Elphaba cooed, placing Jo in Nessa's lap.

"Oh, Fabala, he's beautiful," Nessa cooed, gently rocking the baby in her arms.

Jo looked up at the new, smiling face and, smiling back, reached up towards her hair.

"Careful, or he'll pull your hair," Elphaba said, her older sister instincts kicking in as she gently brushed Nessa's hair back.

The younger Thropp smiled. "Thank you."

Elphaba blushed. "You're welcome."

Frex looked down at his grandson in Nessa's arms and found himself smiling softly. "He's… beautiful, Elphaba," he said, awkwardly clearing his throat.

Elphaba stiffened and gently took her son from Nessa. "Thank you."

Galinda arrived shortly after, slightly lifting her skirts. "Let me see Jo-Jo!"

Elphaba rolled her eyes and gently handed Jo to Galinda. Jo looked up at Galinda with wide eyes before squirming slightly.

"It's alright, Jo," Elphaba said soothingly.

The baby eventually calmed at his mother's soothing voice and settled in the blonde's arms. "He's adorable, Elphie," Galinda whispered.

"Thanks, Glin."

"Is everyone ready?" Raal asked as he and Amalie entered the room.

"Where are Cally and Windon?" Elphaba asked, taking Jo back and gently jostling him in her arms.

"They'll meet us at the church," Amalie answered.

Elphaba nodded. "Ready, baby?" she asked, smiling down at her son.

Jo reached up, clenching and unclenching his fists. Elphaba smiled and kissed his nose before everyone began to walk outside to the waiting carriages.

The carriages dropped everyone off at the gates of the church. Elphaba looked out the window and saw people lining up behind long, velvet ropes on both sides of the sidewalk, eagerly waiting to see the new heir for the first time.

"Wow," Fiyero whistled as the door opened up. "Some crowd."

The people began to cheer as Elphaba stepped down, holding Jo against her chest. Fiyero stepped down and began to set up the pram. Once it was ready, Elphaba gently laid him down and stroked his cheek. She felt Fiyero wrap his arms around her waist and she looked up at him, placing a gentle kiss on his lips. The crowd cheered and the couple laughed.

"Ready?" Fiyero whispered.

"Sure," Elphaba whispered back as she began to walk up the path to the church.

The crowd smiled and children waved little Vinkun flags as the royal couple walked past. Fiyero and Elphaba waved, but the green girl's attention was mostly on Jo, who looked surprisingly content.

"Doing okay?" she whispered, stroking his cheek as she pushed the pram.

Jo reached up and grabbed her finger and Elphaba smiled down at him. Before they knew it, the couple reached the church. Elphaba lifted Jo out of the pram and carried him up the stairs, Fiyero close behind her. When they were halfway up, they turned around and waved to the people, waiting for everyone else to catch up. Amalie, Raal, Galinda, Frex, Nessa, and Harv caught up and the royal couple waved once more before disappearing into the church. Amalie and Raal went inside while Frex and Harv assisted Nessa up the stairs.

Elphaba and Fiyero approached the alter, where the priest was waiting for them. Cally and Windon stood off to the side, smiling. Elphaba looked around at everyone gathered. The intimate setting to celebrate such a special day made her smile.

The ceremony commenced. "Will the selected godparents please step forward?" the priest asked.

Galinda, Nessa, Cally and Windon came forward behind Elphaba and Fiyero.

"Do you accept the position of godparents?"

"We do," they said in unison.

"Do you pledge, therefore, to watch over, care for, love and protect the child entrusted in your care?"

"We will."

"And if anything should happen to the parents where they are unable to care for the child, will you step in and fill the void and love this child as your own?"

"We will."

Pretty soon, Elphaba held Jo while the priest poured water on his forehead. Jo let out a small cry, not liking having water poured on his forehead.

"Joachim Liir Miklio Tigulaar," the priest proclaimed. "May the Unnamed God watch over and protect him all the days of his life." The priest said a blessing and a closing hymn was sung before the ceremony came to an end. When Fiyero and Elphaba emerged from the church, they were once again met with loud cheers and applause. Elphaba decided to hold Jo instead of placing him back in the pram, since he was still a bit upset about the water. She held him close and kissed his forehead, trying to reassure him that he was alright. Once everyone was out of the church, they paraded back to the carriages and traveled back to the castle.

"How is he?" Fiyero whispered to his wife on the way back.

Elphaba smiled. "He's fine. He's just a little upset that he had water poured on his head."

"Come on, buddy, it wasn't that bad, was it?" Fiyero asked with a soft chuckle, looking down at his son.

Jo looked up contently at his father and stuck his hand in his mouth.

"How are you?" the prince asked the green girl.

"I'm fine. That was a beautiful ceremony," Elphaba smiled.

"You look beautiful."

Elphaba blushed as Fiyero kissed her cheek. "Thank you."

Jo squirmed and let out an indignant cry. The prince chuckled and took his son from his wife's arms and kissed his cheek. "You did very well today, Jo. I'm proud of you."

The baby yawned and Fiyero hugged him closer. Finally, the carriages stopped in front of the castle and everyone climbed out. A small reception was being held for the family in the grand ballroom. The princess excused herself to feed Jo, but came back down to enjoy the festivities as quickly as she could. She smiled as she spoke to everyone, some she hadn't seen since the Lurlinemas ball the previous year, and others she had never met. After a while, she handed Jo to Cally and went in search for her sister, whom she found talking to Galinda.

"Are you two alright?" Elphaba asked, approaching her sister and best friend.

"Yes, Elphie, we're fine," Galinda said.

"She's just upset that she doesn't know what to do with all the pink things she bought for the baby," Nessa giggled.

"Glin, I warned you about that," Elphaba sighed, looking at the blonde and took a glass of wine from a passing servant.

"I know, but I just couldn't help it," Galinda sighed. "It's alright, though. The next one will be a girl, right, Elphie?"

Elphaba gasped, spitting the liquid out and coughing. "Next one!? Glin, Jo is only two months old and you're already taking about the 'next one'? More importantly, how do you even know they'll be a 'next one'?"

"Elphie, I refuse to let all the pink clothes, teddy bears, and baby bows I bought go to waste. So, I've decided on saving them for the next one. Plus, haven't you ever heard of the 'heir and the spare'?"

"Heir and the spare?" Elphaba repeated, recovering.

"Yes, Elphie. Plus, Jo-Jo will want a little sister to play with when he gets older."

"He could also get a brother," Nessa pointed out.

"Nessa, don't jinx anything," Galinda warned.

Elphaba rolled her eyes, but laughed along with them. Pretty soon, it was time to go and Elphaba searched the ballroom for Cally and Jo, but she couldn't find them.

"Fae, are you alright?" Fiyero asked when he noticed his wife's distress.

"Where's Jo? I gave him to Cally, but now I can't find them."

The prince smiled softly. "They're right outside."

Elphaba hurried out the doors and found Cally rocking Jo in the foyer.

"Hi, Elphaba," the duchess smiled. "I hope I didn't scare you. Jo was getting restless, and a bit scared from all the unfamiliar faces."

"It's fine," Elphaba said as Cally handed Jo over to her. He calmed slightly, but still made it very clear that he wanted to go to bed. "I'll put him to bed now."

Cally nodded. "I'll go find Windon. He's probably still by the hors d'oeuvres."

The green girl smiled softly and nodded, watching as Cally walked back inside the ballroom.

"Hey, buddy. Do you think you could stay awake just a bit longer to say goodbye?" Elphaba asked gently. She quickly went to find her sister and father to say goodbye.

"Elphaba," Frex nodded.

"Father," Elphaba nodded back.

The two lapsed into a very awkward silence, neither of them wanting to say anything.

"Have a safe trip back to Munchkinland," the green girl said politely, barely meeting her father's gaze.

Frex nodded. He looked like he wanted to say something else, but he simply turned and pushed Nessa's chair out the door.

Galinda gave her friend a goodbye hug, kissed Jo's cheek, and whispered something into Fiyero's ear that made him pale before leaving.

"What did she say?" Elphaba asked.

"She told me that the next one better be a girl, or else," Fiyero said.

Elphaba rolled her eyes. "That's just Galinda being… well, Galinda."

"Very true," Fiyero smiled as he took Jo and smiled at him. "What do you say we… Oh, Jo!"

"What?"

"Fae, he _smells_!" the prince whined, pouting as he held his son at arms-length.

"Well, then change him."

"Do you remember what happened the _last_ time I changed him?"

"That wasn't his fault."

"He peed all over me!"

"Get upstairs and change your son," Elphaba said, trying to keep the laughter out of her voice.

"You're mean," Fiyero said as he continued to pout and walk up the stairs, still holding Jo as far away as he could, only inhaling when he needed to.

"My poor babies!" Elphaba called after him before following him up the stairs to get ready for bed.

When Fiyero came into the room, he found Elphaba already in bed, reading. Smiling, he climbed into bed and removed her glasses before kissing her cheek.

"I was using those," Elphaba said.

Fiyero didn't respond as he pulled Elphaba into a kiss. "Mmm, I love you."

"Can I have my glasses back?"

"Why?"

"So I can finish reading."

Instead of doing as she requested, Fiyero moved down to kiss her neck.

"Mmm, Yero." Elphaba moaned.

"Hmm?"

"I love you."

"I love you, too."

"As much as I love you, do you really want to do this right now?"

"Do what?"

Elphaba raised her eyebrows. "Give Jo a little brother or sister?"

The prince chuckled and returned the reading glasses to their owner. "Maybe we'll wait until he's older."

Elphaba rolled her eyes and went back to her book, but allowed her husband to wrap his arms around her waist and snuggled closer to him.

* * *

 **Elphaba's christening dress is on my blog!**


	22. Chapter 22

**Ultimate Queen of Cliffies: Yup! Totally a royal tradition and Elphaba had to deal with it. And yes, I dressed Jo up in a dress. XD**

 **Theatregirlanna: I honestly didn't mean to scare anyone with that. Sorry!**

 **Fangirling is now a job: The nicknames 'Yero' and 'Fae' actually come from the book. Fiyero calls Elphaba 'Elphie-Fabala-Fae', and it got shortened to just 'Fae'. Elphaba calls Fiyero 'Yero my hero', and it stuck. The fandom didn't create those nicknames. #Disclaimer**

* * *

That August, as the sun beat down on the castle, the royal family found themselves preparing for the twenty-fourth birthday of the crown prince.

"Twenty-four isn't _that_ big of a deal," Fiyero said as he watched Elphaba play with Jo.

"It's still a birthday, Yero," Elphaba chuckled, walking over to him with Jo in her arms. "Besides, you're just upset because it means you're getting older."

"I happen to still be very young, thank you," Fiyero said as he took Jo and held him over his head. "Isn't that right, Jo?"

The six month old giggled and blew a spit bubble, which landed right in between Fiyero's eyes and dripped down to his nose. Elphaba stumbled back and laughed, hugging her waist tightly.

"Thanks," Fiyero said dryly. Sighing, he lowered Jo and wiped his face. Jo giggled and clapped his hands. "So, do you have anything special planned?"

"What would I have planned?" Elphaba asked innocently.

The prince pouted a bit. "I don't know… breakfast in bed with bacon, eggs, waffles, pancakes…"

"Waffles _and_ pancakes?"

"And toast, muffins, biscuits…"

"Okay, we get it," Elphaba said as she took Jo and tickled him.

"Your Highness," Harv said as he entered the room. "The king would like for you to look over the test for incoming older students."

Elphaba nodded. "Can you take Jo?" she implored her husband.

The prince smiled and took his son. "No more spit bubbles," he said, giving Jo a faux-stern expression.

Jo looked at his father before slowly sticking his tongue out. Fiyero chuckled and mimicked him. The two continued their little game and walked out of the room. Elphaba assumed they were going back to the nursery and she followed Harv to the throne room.

Later that week, the prince's birthday finally arrived. The whole castle was in an uproar of excitement. Fiyero woke up early and tried to get his wife to wake up, but to no avail.

"Fae, wake up," the prince whispered, kissing her nose.

Elphaba moaned and turned over. "Go back to sleep, Yero."

"I can't sleep! It's my birthday."

"You're such a child."

"Just wake up."

"No."

The prince smirked and climbed on top of his wife, causing her to let out a surprised scream.

"It's like you _want_ me to hex you," Elphaba grumbled.

"You can't hex the birthday boy," the prince sing-songed, kissing her nose. "Good morning."

"Good morning, Yero. Happy birthday," Elphaba smiled.

Fiyero got off Elphaba and allowed her to push herself up and give him a proper 'good morning' greeting.

"Sounds like someone else wants to wish you a happy birthday," Elphaba smiled when she heard soft thumping noises coming from the nursery.

Fiyero chuckled and slipped out of bed, returning shortly with Jo in his arms.

"Hi, baby," Elphaba chuckled as Fiyero handed their son to her.

Jo babbled happily and leaned his head against his mother's chest.

"Let's get ready for the day, shall we?" Elphaba chuckled, kissing her son's forehead.

Once everyone was dressed and ready for the day, and after eating the waffles and pancakes Fiyero had requested, the prince and princess prepared to go out to their royal engagement of the day, visiting a children's hospital.

"Are you sure you want to do this today, Yero? It is your birthday, after all," Elphaba said as she held Jo against her chest.

"Of course, Fae," Fiyero smiled. "I've been looking forward to this engagement for a while."

"You were actually looking forward to one of your royal duties?" Elphaba smirked.

"Maybe being around you has helped me to grow up a little," Fiyero offered, lightly kissing her cheek.

Elphaba smiled and looked down at Jo. "I just don't want to leave him."

"It will only be for a few hours, Fae. He'll be fine," Fiyero said, gently taking Jo's hand. "You get to spend some quality time with Grandma and Grandpa, okay, Jo?"

Jo, completely oblivious to the fact that his parents were leaving him, smiled and giggled.

The prince grinned. "See? He's perfectly fine with it."

"I don't know, Yero. I've never left him before. I just…"

"Your Highnesses, are you ready to leave?" Harv asked as he appeared in the foyer.

"Elphaba?" Fiyero asked.

Elphaba looked down at Jo, then up at Harv and nodded. "Yes."

Raal and Amalie came in to wish the couple a safe journey. Elphaba kissed Jo's forehead and reluctantly handed him over to his grandparents. "Be good, Jo."

"Have a safe trip, you two," Raal smiled, kissing his grandson's forehead. "Say bye-bye to Mama and Daddy, Jo."

Jo blinked and tilted his head to the side as Elphaba and Fiyero turned to leave. Once he realized that they were leaving him, he started to cry and reach out to them.

Elphaba made to turn, but Fiyero pulled her back. "Yero, we can't just let him cry like that. He needs us," she pleaded.

"I know, Fae, but he'll be fine."

"I don't want to leave my baby."

"Neither do I. Elphaba, look at me."

Elphaba slowly met her husband's gaze.

"He'll be fine. My parents will make sure he's happy while we're gone."

Elphaba nodded and forced herself not to look back as Jo continued to cry for them. Every second, his screams seemed to grow louder and louder for Elphaba until she began to cry herself. The prince gently wrapped an arm around her as he helped her into the carriage and they drove away. By the time they got to the hospital, Elphaba had calmed and composed herself, but it was still obvious that she was upset about leaving Jo for the first time.

"Your Highnesses, welcome," a nicely dressed man said once they stepped down from the carriage. "I am Dyran Cranford, director of the hospital."

"Pleased to meet you, Mr. Cranford," Elphaba smiled.

The director smiled and nodded before leading the royals into the hospital, explaining the history and the mission as they walked down the halls.

"I love the walls," Fiyero commented on the brightly colored walls.

Mr. Cranford smiled. "We try not to make it seem like a hospital. The children are scared enough as it is."

Elphaba nodded in understanding. "How old are the children?"

"They range in ages of a few months to sixteen years old."

"That young?"

"Yes, Your Highness."

Elphaba fell silent. She couldn't believe children who barely had the chance to live were fighting for their lives. The director led them to a room where most of the children who were well enough to leave their rooms and their parents were gathered. Elphaba noticed how most of the children were wearing masks, and she immediately began to sympathize with the parents. After a brief speech from Mr. Cranford, the prince and princess began to converse with the families. They colored with and read to some of the younger children and spoke to their parents. Elphaba had to force herself not to cry as she listened to some of the stories parents told her. Some of these children had lost siblings to illnesses, and one girl lost her twin brother.

"Attention everyone," Mr. Cranford said after an hour. "Today is a very special day. Today is His Royal Highness, Prince Fiyero's, birthday."

Everyone applauded and two of the nurses wheeled in a large cake. The children sang 'happy birthday' to a chuckling and blushing prince and cheered when he blew out his candles.

"I honestly wasn't expecting that," Fiyero said as he handed his wife a slice of cake and took one for himself.

"Really?" Elphaba asked, raising an eyebrow.

Fiyero shook his head. "Today was supposed to be about the children. I can celebrate my birthday when we get back."

Elphaba smiled and stood on her toes to kiss her husband, causing the children to giggle. Fiyero grinned as he dipped two of his fingers into his icing and smeared it on Elphaba's nose. Elphaba gasped and gave her husband and faux-glare as she did the same.

"Attention everyone, please!" Mr. Canford called.

Everyone turned and realized the director was standing next to an easel covered with a white sheet.

"Your Highnesses," Mr. Cranford nodded at the royal couple.

Elphaba and Fiyero rose to their feet and walked over to the director, standing on either side of the easel.

"We would like to thank you for taking time out of your day to visit us," Mr. Cranford began. "And we would like to present you a small token of our appreciation, which will hang at the entrance to the hospital." He nodded to Elphaba and Fiyero to unveil the surprise.

"One… two… three!" Fiyero counted before he and Elphaba pulled off the sheet.

Elphaba gasped, seeing a shiny, golden plaque. She slightly leaned closer to read what was engraved.0

 _On this day, the twenty-eight of August, in the year 153 A.L., during the rein of our wonderful Wizard, commemorates the visit of Their Royal Highnesses, Prince Fiyero and Princess Elphaba, to the St. Eliuna Children's Hospital. We are eternally grateful for their visit and wish them many years of health._

Everyone applauded and Elphaba and Fiyero thanked the director. Pretty soon, it was time for them to leave. After heartfelt goodbyes, Elphaba and Fiyero left, holding some of the drawings the children decided to give them.

"Did you have fun?" Fiyero asked as they rode back to the castle.

"I did. Did you?"

"Of course. That cake was delicious."

Elphaba rolled her eyes and looked through some of the drawings. "These are nice drawings. And the children are very nice. I just… I feel so bad for them… and for their parents. They're going through so much, yet they seemed so strong."

Fiyero wrapped his arm around his wife and kissed her cheek. "I know."

"It's just… we have so much…"

"And we're doing all we can to help."

Elphaba sighed. "I know."

Before they knew it, the carriage stopped in front of the castle. Fiyero stepped down first and helped Elphaba before they both walked up the stairs. The doors opened for them and the sound of Jo giggling drew them to the parlor.

"We're back," Fiyero smiled.

Amalie and Raal looked up and smiled. "Look who's back, Jo," Amalie said, gently jostling the baby.

Jo's face lit up and he reached out to his parents, babbling happily.

"Oh, Jo," Elphaba smiled as she held her son close. "I've missed you so much."

The little family spent the rest of the afternoon together, and later that evening, after dinner, Amalie and Raal surprised the young couple by calling them into the throne room.

"We wanted to discuss something with the two of you," Amalie began.

"And no, you're no in trouble… this time," Raal said when he saw the look on his son's face.

Fiyero let out a relieved breath and focused his attention back on his parents.

"As much as we love Jo and love watching him, there will be time when we are unavailable to watch him while the two of you are out. And it would be unfair to the maids to have to add watching a baby to their schedules," Amalie said.

Elphaba blinked. "What are you saying?"

"We're saying that maybe you and Fiyero should consider hiring a nanny for Jo."

Elphaba stiffened slightly. "A… nanny?"

"It's not uncommon, especially in royal families. Fiyero himself had _six_ nannies," Raal said.

The prince blushed in embarrassment.

Elphaba bit her lip. "I… I don't know."

"It's not a bad idea, Fae," Fiyero said gently.

"I don't want Jo to grow up thinking that we didn't want to raise him."

Fiyero realized how important it was to Elphaba to raise her child and give him the loving home she never got. "Our love for Jo won't change, Fae. And it will only be while we're out of the castle, or engaged with something else."

"We'll let you two think it over," Amalie said as she excused them.

The next week, Elphaba found herself in the throne room with Raal, Amalie, and Fiyero, interviewing nannies. The Nanny Academy had sent over their best candidates and she was having a hard time deciding.

"I really like Liah," Elphaba said, looking over the résumés. "She has a lot of experience."

"I like her, too, but I also liked Inya and Dahlia," Fiyero said.

After careful consideration, the two decided to hire Liah and wrote back to the Academy, saying that she could start as soon as possible. The young women, in her early-thirties, arrived a few days after the letter was sent, her auburn hair tied back in a professional bun. She was already dressed in her tan nanny uniform with a dark silver color, knee-high white socks and black shoes, already seeming ready to work.

"Welcome, Liah," Elphaba smiled as she met Liah in the foyer, holding Jo.

"Hello, Your Highness. Thank you for entrusting me with the job," Liah said as she curtsied.

Elphaba nodded and looked down at Jo. "This is Joachim, but we all call him Jo."

Liah smiled at the baby, who looked back at her with large, curious, and almost intimidated, eyes.

"I'll leave you two to get to know each other. I have to go to a meeting with Amalie, but if you need anything, don't be afraid to get me," Elphaba said as she kissed Jo's forehead and handed him over to his new nanny.

Jo whimpered, not wanting to be in this strange woman's arms. Elphaba seemed hesitant to leave, but the reassuring smile Liah gave her slowly convinced her to go. She just hoped she was making the right decision.

* * *

 **A.L. means "After Lurline".**


	23. Chapter 23

**What did my OCs do to warrant such distrust? We can trust Liah, everyone. I promise.**

 **Ultimate Queen of Cliffies: The story is almost over *Tear* We don't have time to kidnappings.**

* * *

"Come on, Elphie. Jo-Jo _has_ to have a first birthday party."

The green girl sighed, not looking up from her book. "Glin, he's a baby. He's not even going to remember it."

"But you will, and Fiyero will, and I will," Galinda argued.

"Who would we invite?"

The blonde paused briefly before answering. "Other babies. _Duh_. And the rest of the family."

Elphaba rolled her eyes and looked up. "And where would this party take place? Here?"

" _Now_ you're finally catching on," Galinda smiled.

"Glin, I don't know about this."

"I'll let you think about it. He doesn't turn one until next month. Speaking of, where is Jo-Jo?"

"He's with Liah. I needed some time to think."

The blonde nodded. "So, Elphie, have you and Fiyero thought about having any more children?"

"If we did, we would have another boy," Elphaba smirked.

"Just to spite me?"

"Exactly."

"Elphie, I made sure all those pink articles of clothing and toys and blankets and everything were _perfect_ ," the blonde pouted.

"And Fiyero and I thank you for that."

"But you have to have a girl."

"I don't have any more control over that then you do. If you want a girl so badly, why don't you settle down and have one yourself?"

"Because I'm still waiting for my 'Mister Right'. You can't rush these types of things, Elphie."

Elphaba pretended to think for a moment, just to entertain the blonde. "I'll think about it."

"I guess that will do for now."

Elphaba went back to her book, but looked up when footsteps caught her attention. She looked up to see Liah entering with Jo.

"Excuse me, Your Highness, but Jo wanted you," Liah said.

Elphaba nodded and stood, holding out her arms to Jo. "Thank you," she smiled at the nanny, who curtsied before leaving.

"Jo-Jo, how to you feel about having a first birthday party?" Galinda asked excitedly.

"Ba ba!" Jo giggled, sticking his thumb in his mouth.

"See, Elphie. He wants one."

"He doesn't even know what you're talking about," Elphaba said as she rolled her eyes. She was about to continue, but was silenced by a sharp pain in her head. She looked down to see Jo pulling on her hair. She had forgotten to tie it back. "You really want one?" she asked Jo.

"Ba ba!"

The green girl sighed. "Alright, then."

* * *

"Is everything ready?" Fiyero asked.

"I think so. I've never planned a party before," Elphaba said.

"Before? Elphie, you barely helped plan _this_ one," Galinda pointed out as she checked items off of a checklist while simultaneously holding Jo.

The green girl rolled her eyes. "I'll take Jo. When is everyone else coming?"

"Nessa and your father should be here soon. Cally and Windon are coming a bit later," Galinda said as she handed Jo over to his mother.

Before she knew it, everyone had arrived. Nessa immediately wheeled into the parlor to greet her nephew.

"Happy birthday, Jo," Nessa smiled as Elphaba placed him in her lap.

Jo giggled and reached for the present his aunt was holding just out of his reach.

Frex appeared moments later. He smiled down at his grandson and lifted him into his arms. "Happy birthday, Joachim."

Once Cally and Windon arrived, the festivities began. The family gathered outside in the gardens and enjoyed a picnic in the grass. Liah was there on standby in case Elphaba needed something, but other than that, she made conversation with Nessa. Jo seemed perfectly happy to crawl around in the grass and take a few small steps with the help of his father.

"I think he'll start walking soon," Cally smiled.

"Oh Oz," Elphaba groaned. "We'll have to baby-proof even more places."

"Well, his father is a master at 'dancing through life'."

"Thank you. Thank you very much," Fiyero said as he took a quick bow before turning his attention back to Jo.

"I remember when Fiyero began to take his first steps," Amalie smiled, getting a far away look in her eyes. "He was a fourteen months old. And ever since that day, he never sat still."

"Mother said I was a thirteen months," Cally smiled. "How old we're you, Elphaba?"

"Oh… I… don't know," Elphaba answered softly.

"You started walking a few days after your first birthday," Frex answered.

Elphaba's head whipped around to face her father, who was silently staring into his cup. "Oh," she said softly.

Nessa became oddly quiet, not wanting to discuss first steps, and Elphaba quickly moved to change the topic.

"Ma ma!" Jo cried.

Elphaba smiled as she got up and tended to her son's needs. Turns out, it was now her turn to hold him up while he tried to walk. She smiled and soon let go of one hand to see if he would still walk. He immediately toppled over. Laughing, she picked him up again and the two tried again. An hour later, Raal suggested that the celebration come to a close and they began to pack up. Liah took Jo inside to get him cleaned up.

"We survived the first year," Fiyero smiled, kissing his wife as they walked back inside.

"And just think, we only have seventeen more years to go," Elphaba chuckled.

Fiyero blinked. "That's a long time. But at least I'll get to spend it with you."

Elphaba rolled her eyes. "You're so cheesy."

* * *

Time past quickly for the royal family. Jo, now three years old, ran through the palace, wearing nothing but his underwear, as Liah chased him.

"Jo, come back here!" she shouted.

Jo was a perfect, miniature version of his father. He looked like what Elphaba pictured Fiyero to look like as a child. Of course, he had her eyes, nose, and ears. Jo, seeing what he was doing as a game, only laughed and turned a sharp corner. He heard Liah shout something, but didn't listen. He only stopped when he saw his father come out of his bedroom, looking tired.

"Daddy!" Jo smiled, leaping into his father's arms.

"Hey, buddy," Fiyero smiled, twirling his son in the air. "Why aren't you dressed?" He turned just as Liah ran up to him, pausing to catch her breath before curtsying. "Liah?"

"Good morning, Your Highness," Liah said, slightly breathless.

Fiyero looked back at his son. "Jo, why are you running from Liah again?"

"I don't wanna get dressed," Jo pouted.

Fiyero had to force himself to not smile, for Jo reminded him of a younger version of himself. "But you can't stay in your underwear all day."

"Why not?"

"Mama wouldn't want you to."

"Where's Mama?"

"She's resting right now, Jo. She's not feeling too great." In truth, that wasn't the only reason, and Fiyero knew it, but Elphaba made him promise not to tell anyone just yet.

Jo blinked, then followed his father's instructions and wiggled out of his arms before going back to Liah.

Fiyero smiled as he went back into the room. He sat on the edge of the bed, careful not to wake his wife up. Elphaba slowly opened her eyes and smiled. "Hey."

"Hi. How are you feeling?"

"I would be so much better if it weren't for the morning sickness." Elphaba pushed herself up and leaned against the pillows. "I shouldn't complain, though. It was much worse with Jo."

Fiyero smiled and gently reached behind her to rub her back. "What do you think this one is?"

"I'll be happy with either, but Galinda's hoping for a girl."

"She did buy a lot of pink things before Jo was born."

"And this will just give her an excuse to buy more."

Fiyero chuckled and gently placed his hand on his wife's stomach. She was only a month along, and wasn't showing at all, but Fiyero still felt the vibration of life against his fingertips. "When will we tell everyone?"

"Once I'm out of the danger zone," Elphaba said. "I don't want to get anyone's hopes up, especially my own."

"Everything will be fine, Fae. I promise." He pulled his wife against him. "And I promise not to leave like I did last time."

Elphaba bit back tears and snuggled closer to the prince. "I know. I love you."

Finally, the palace doctor gave Elphaba and Fiyero the 'all clear' to tell their family members and friends, which was a big relief to Fiyero, who didn't know how much longer he could hold in the secret.

"Who do you want to start with?" he asked his wife.

"Let's start with Jo," Elphaba said, linking arms with her husband.

They found him in the parlor with Liah, putting together a puzzle. "Mama! Daddy!" he exclaimed happily, jumping up and running into his father's arms.

"Hey, buddy," Fiyero smiled, kissing his cheek.

"Liah, can we have a moment alone with Jo, please?" Elphaba asked politely.

Liah got up and curtsied. "Of course, Your Highness."

Once Liah was gone, Fiyero carried Jo over to the couch and sat him down, he and Elphaba sitting on either sides of him. "Jo, we want to talk to you about something very important," Elphaba began.

Jo turned towards his mother. "About what, Mama?"

"How do you feel about being a big brother?"

The young prince blinked. "What do you mean?"

"Mama and I are going to have another baby," Fiyero said gently, wondering how Jo would react to the news.

Jo looked at both his parents. "Why?"

The prince smiled softly. "Sometimes these things just happen."

"When?"

"Some time in late September."

"Where are you gonna get the baby from?"

Elphaba chuckled softly. "Well, the baby is growing in Mama's tummy." She gently took Jo's hand and placed it against her slight baby bump.

"How did the baby get in there?" Jo asked, staring at his mother's stomach.

Elphaba stiffened slightly, but Fiyero playfully ruffled his hair. "That's a conversation for another time, buddy. Maybe when you're older."

Jo, seeming satisfied with that answer, simply shrugged and continued to ask more questions. "Did I grow in your tummy, Mama?"

"Yes, Jo. For nine whole months."

"And that's how long the new baby needs to grow?"

Elphaba nodded. "But Jo, you must understand something. When the new baby arrives, Mama and Daddy will have to spend a lot of time with him or her, so you'll get to spend extra time with Liah."

"But it doesn't mean that we love you any less," Fiyero said, wrapping an arm around his son.

"Is that alright with you?"

"I guess," Jo shrugged.

"Do you like Liah?"

"Yeah, she's nice, but I like it better when you do things, Mama."

"I know, sweetie. But I had to spend a lot of time with you when you were a newborn, and it's only fair that I do it to the new baby."

"And you can help Mama and I take care of him or her," Fiyero said.

Jo's face lit up. "Really?"

Fiyero nodded. "We'll need the help of the big brother to teach the new baby how to do things."

"Like what?"

"Well, you can change a diaper or two once in a while."

"Yero," Elphaba sighed.

"What? Oh, it was worth a try. But other things, like coloring, putting together a puzzle, walking, jumping, everything you already know how to do, you'll get to teach the new baby."

"Will Liah help take care of the new baby, too?" Jo asked innocently.

Elphaba and Fiyero exchanged a look. "Well, of course Liah will have to help Mama, but she'll mostly be spending her time with you," Fiyero answered.

"Will it be a boy?"

Elphaba laughed. "It might be, but you could also get a little sister."

Jo wrinkled his nose. "I don't want a little sister. I want a brother. Girls are boring."

Fiyero chuckled. "Well, Mama's a girl. Is she boring?"

"No, because she's different."

"How so?" Elphaba asked, genuinely curious as to how Jo would answer that question.

"Because you're _Mama_. Mamas aren't boring."

Elphaba looked up at her husband before redirecting her attention back to her young son. "Also, Jo," she continued gently. "This also means that you won't be the center of all the attention anymore. You'll have to share with your little brother or sister."

Jo paused. He loved being in the spotlight. When he would go out with Liah or Auntie Galinda, when she visited, he loved the attention he received. And the thought of having to share that didn't make him very happy. "Oh," he said, somewhat disappointed.

Fiyero lifted his son into his arms and set him on his knee. "You'll get used to it, buddy. It won't be so bad."

Elphaba gently ran her hand through Jo's hair. "It'll be alright, Jo. We promise."

"Okay," Jo whispered, wiggling out of his father's arms. "Can I finish my puzzle with Liah now?"

Elphaba felt crestfallen, but nodded as she and Fiyero stood. "We'll send her back in."

* * *

 **Yes, Fiyeraba Baby Number 2 is on the way!**


	24. Chapter 24

**Doglover645: The round three of "nopeing" already happened (When Fiyero "died")**

 **StamiSprite: They've been married for almost four years.**

 **I'mWickedThroughAndThrough: Yes! OMG! Willemijn was fantastic! I was sitting in the front at the center table.**

* * *

Elphaba moaned as she tried to shift her weight, but knew that it was no use. She wasn't going to get comfortable.

"Fae, are you sure you want to do this?" Fiyero asked as he appeared in the parlor with a glass of water.

"I'll be fine, Yero," Elphaba said as she rubbed her extremely swollen stomach. "It's just an interview with _'The Wild Blossom'_. Your mother said it was the most respected magazine in the Vinkus. Though, I don't know why they wanted to interview us for our fourth wedding anniversary. What's so special about the fourth one? And more importantly, our anniversary isn't until next month."

"I know, but would you really want to do an interview like this when you're nine months pregnant?" Fiyero pointed out.

"Good point," Elphaba sighed as she accepted the water. "Where's Jo?"

"He's outside in the gardens with Liah."

Elphaba nodded as Harv walked in. "Your Highnesses, the journalist from ' _The Wild Blossom'_ is here."

Fiyero nodded. "Send him in."

Harv nodded and left, and soon, a tall, young man with light brown hair and thin-rimmed glasses walked in, carrying a notebook with a pen attached to it by a string. "Your Highnesses," he bowed. "My name is Fihri Kendleworth, executive journalist of the magazine. Thank you for indulging ' _The Wild Blossom'_ with an exclusive interview."

"It's our pleasure," Fiyero smiled, sitting down next to Elphaba.

Elphaba nodded, starting to feel a bit drained, even though nothing happened. Fiyero subtly gripped her hand and squeezed it.

"Are you ready to begin?" Mr. Kendleworth asked, settling in an armchair across from the royal couple.

"Yes, we're ready," Elphaba nodded.

"First, how did you two meet?"

"Easy. Fiyero's carriage almost ran me over," Elphaba answered quickly.

"That wasn't my fault. Stop saying it like it was my fault. I was sleeping," Fiyero defended himself.

"Which made it your fault," Elphaba smirked.

"Okay, here's what happened. I was on my way to Shiz University, and was taking a nap, when suddenly, I'm awoken by a screaming girl and when I opened my eyes, I saw Elphaba standing over me, and she didn't look very happy."

"A near-death experience will do that to a person," Elphaba shrugged. "And then Fiyero tried one of his classic pick-up lines; 'Maybe the driver saw green and thought it meant 'go'.'"

"Have I ever apologized for that?" Fiyero asked sheepishly.

"It wouldn't kill you do to it again."

"You enjoy torturing me, don't you?"

Elphaba smirked wickedly. "Of course."

"I'm sorry my driver almost ran you over," Fiyero said, kissing Elphaba's cheek.

Mr. Kendleworth waited patiently for the royal couple to stop bantering, smiling softly as he saw how in love with each other they were. "And Prince Fiyero, when did you realize you were in love with Princess Elphaba?"

"Well, when I first saw her, I was intrigued by her skin, but certainly not to the point of love. I started out dating another girl, but we broke up a while afterwards. Things just… didn't work out." He looked at Elphaba, as if asking permission to tell the story. Elphaba looked at him and nodded and he continued. "During that time, Elphaba and I developed a… not a friendship, but we were civil to each other. One day, one of our History professors, Dr. Dillamond, was fired because he was an Animal, a Goat. Our new teacher brought in a lion cub in a contraption called a cage. Elphaba lost control of her magic the whole class froze, except for the two of us, allowing us to grab the cage and make a quick escape. We took the lion out into the clearing and she started yelling at me and…"

"I wasn't yelling at you, Yero," Elphaba corrected.

"You called me 'stupid'."

"I said you weren't _really_ stupid."

"Whatever. Anyway, while Elphaba was yelling at me and calling me 'stupid', that's when I started to develop a crush on her."

"You fell in love while she was insulting you?" Mr. Kendleworth smiled.

"Not exactly. I mean, I was still dating the other girl at the time, and it wouldn't have been fair to her," Fiyero said, careful to leave Galinda's name out of this. "And I didn't really know what my feelings for her were. Right before we set the cub free, our hands met and I felt a rush of energy jolt through my body."

Elphaba blushed and looked down at her hands.

"And I assume you did, too, Your Highness?" Mr. Kendleworth said, looking at Elphaba.

Elphaba looked up. "I did. I also didn't know what my feelings were for Fiyero at the time."

"I broke up with the girl shortly after that and a few months later, I asked Fae out on a date."

Mr. Kendleworth nodded, jotting down notes. "Fae? A pet-name of some sort?"

"I still don't know where Fiyero gets that name from," Elphaba sighed.

"Actually, now would be the perfect opportunity to tell that story," Fiyero smiled. "In the Outer Vinkus, close to the border, there's a rare, yet very beautiful, flower called the Faeillia Martilea. It only blooms once a year, and it has beautiful, emerald green petals and a golden center."

"You pet-named me after a green flower?"

"A beautiful green flower. As a matter of fact, once I become king, my first order of business will be to name that flower after my beautiful queen," Fiyero said seriously.

"Oh Oz," Elphaba sighed. "He can be so cheesy sometimes."

"As you can see, my wife isn't the most for romantic sentimism."

"Sentimism isn't a word, Yero."

"Is it now."

"Oz, you're worse than Galinda."

"Thankfully, she's not around to hear you say that."

"What would you name it? Fae's Flower?"

Fiyero thought for a moment, then his face lit up. "Yes, Fae! That's an excellent idea! Fae's Flower! I like the sound of that! You'll have your own flower!"

"I'm sorry I gave you ideas."

"I have seen that flower before. It is indeed very beautiful," Mr. Kendleworth smiled, turning back to his questions. "Now, on to more things. What was your first date?"

"We actually have two," Elphaba answered. "Our unofficial one was when Fiyero took me out to dinner at the Quilted Stone."

"It was a reward for her getting a perfect score on her Logic exam," Fiyero smiled.

"That was before we were officially boyfriend and girlfriend."

"No, it was before you _wanted_ to announce that we were officially boyfriend and girlfriend."

"And our second first date was when we had a picnic by Suicide Canal at Shiz."

"It's more romantic than the name lets on," Fiyero interjected at the look Mr. Kendleworth gave them.

"What do you remember from that day?"

"I remember Fiyero forgetting to add sugar to the lemonade, and surprising me with an unwanted shower when he realized it," Elphaba smiled.

"Of course _that's_ what you remember," Fiyero muttered.

Mr. Kendleworth smiled. "Did you kiss on one of those first dates?"

"Oh no," Elphaba said, shaking her head and laughing. "We didn't kiss. Our first kiss wasn't until our fifth date."

"I mean, I've kissed her goodnight after dropping her off back at her room, but those don't count. Our first official kiss was at the Ozdust. Our friend, Galinda Upland, who is now working as the Wizard's Magic Grand Vizier, had planned a party at the Ozdust and I asked Fae to come with me."

"What was the occasion?"

"Nothing. Galinda just wanted an excuse to show off her new dress," Elphaba chuckled.

 _"Come on, Fae. Dance with me. Please?"_

 _"No, Yero."_

 _"Why not?"_

 _"You know I can't dance. Remember what happened at the Ozdust at the beginning of the year?"_

 _"That was different."_

 _"How so?"_

 _"It just was," Fiyero sighed, wrapping his arms around Elphaba's waist. "And what do you plan on doing for the rest of the night? Go into the corner and read?"_

 _"I would, but Galinda took my book."_

 _The prince smirked. "Remind me to thank Galinda when I get a chance."_

 _Elphaba shot the prince a glare and swirled her punch around in her cup. The music changed and the prince smiled. He grabbed Elphaba's arm and pulled her into the dance floor, causing her to spill her punch in the process._

 _"Yero, what in Oz's name do you think you're doing?" Elphaba growled._

"Oh, don't you dare look back. Just keep your eyes on me. I said, 'You're holding back.' She said, 'Shut up, and dance with me!' This woman is my destiny. She said, 'Ooh, shut up, and dance with me!'" _Fiyero smiled, singing along to the music._

 _Elphaba looked about ready to murder the prince. She stiffened as she felt everyone's eyes on her and wanted nothing more than to go back to her dorm room._

"We were victims of the night. The chemical, physical kryptonite. Helpless to the bass and faded light. Oh, we were born to get together. Born to get together. She took my arm. I don't know how it happened. We took the floor and she said…"

 _Elphaba found her foot tapping along to the upbeat tempo of the song and forced herself to stop. No, she was not going to let the prince win._

"Oh, don't you dare look back. Just keep your eyes on me. I said, 'You're holding back.' She said, 'Shut up, and dance with me!' This woman is my destiny. She said, 'Ooh, shut up, and dance with me!'"

 _The green girl looked at her boyfriend, who was dancing by himself in front of her. She looked around. Everyone else was dancing with a partner, and here she was, standing completely still in the middle of the dance floor._

 _"Just follow me," Fiyero said, taking her hands and spinning her around._

 _Elphaba made a noise of surprise, but barely had time to register what was happening when Fiyero pulled her back into his arms._

"A backless dress and some beat up sneaks. My discotheque, Juliet, teenage dream. I felt it in my chest as she looked at me. I knew we were born to be together. Born to be together. She took my arm. I don't know how it happened. We took the floor and she said…"

 _Elphaba slowly found herself following the prince's dance movements and a small smile crept it's way onto her face._

"Oh, don't you dare look back. Just keep your eyes on me. I said, 'You're holding back.' She said, 'Shut up, and dance with me!' This woman is my destiny. She said, 'Ooh, shut up, and dance with me!'"

 _Elphaba was now smiling as she danced with her boyfriend. Fiyero's smile was equally as big, if not bigger, as he watched his book-wormy girlfriend enjoying herself. For the first time ever, no one else mattered to Elphaba. It was just her and Fiyero. No one else was on the dance floor with them._

"Deep in her eyes, I think I see the future. I realize this is my last chance. She took my arm. I don't know how it happened. We took the floor and she said… Oh don't you dare look back. Just keep your eyes on me. I said, 'You're holding back.' She said, 'Shut up, and dance with me!' This woman is my destiny. She said, 'Ooh, shut up, and dance!' Oh, don't you dare look back. Just keep your eyes on me. I said, 'You're holding back.' She said, 'Shut up, and dance with me!' This woman is my destiny. She said, 'Ooh, shut up, and dance with me!'"

 _Once the song ended, Fiyero led his exhausted girlfriend back to the their table. "Did you have fun?"_

 _"Yes," Elphaba admitted softly._

 _"What was that? I didn't quite catch that," Fiyero said, pretending to strain to hear her._

 _Elphaba rolled her eyes. "I had fun," she said, a bit louder._

 _Fiyero smiled and took her arm, more gently than he did the last time, and led Elphaba out of the Ozdust._

 _"Why are we out here?" Elphaba asked._

 _"So I can do this," Fiyero said as he cupped Elphaba's face in her cheeks and gently pressed his lips against hers._

 _Elphaba's eyes widened and she made a noise of shock, but quickly found herself relaxing into the kiss and slowly wrapped her arms around the prince's neck. When they both pulled away, they stared into each other's eyes, completely breathless._

 _"I've wanted to do that for a while," Fiyero said, being the first to recover._

 _Elphaba just stood there, her mouth slightly open and her eyes rapidly blinking. "Huh… wha…"_

 _The prince smiled. Elphaba looked cute when she was speechless. "I love you, Fae."_

 _Elphaba blinked. She had never said 'I love you' back to Fiyero. She was so sure that she was just another one of his conquests, and didn't allow herself to actually believe that the playboy prince loved her._

 _"I… love you, too," Elphaba choked out before she fully registered what she had said._

 _Fiyero's smile widened as he pulled Elphaba against him and held her in his arms._

"So it was also the first time you said 'I love you'?" Mr. Kendleworth smiled.

"It was," Elphaba said, beginning to get a bit restless.

Fiyero noticed this and squeezed her hand, as if telling her that she didn't have to continue if she didn't want to. Elphaba gave him a reassuring squeeze back. She was determined to finish the interview. In an attempt to make her more comfortable, Fiyero gently fluffed her pillow and helped her lean back against it.

"Thanks," Elphaba whispered.

They talked for a while about their other interested, their relationship, and about Jo.

"Yes, he takes after his father. He's developing an interest of singing and dancing… especially at the same time," Elphaba smiled.

"He's a bit of a handful, but we have Liah to help us out, who's been really wonderful," Fiyero said.

"Will she help out with the new addition to the family?" Mr. Kendleworth asked.

"Well, I was a little apprehensive about hiring a nanny in the first place. I didn't want Jo growing up feeling that we didn't love him, so we just gave him to the nanny instead, but Liah is really wonderful and nice. She's willing to help out, even on her days off, and Jo loves her."

"Who do you say is the big discipliner?"

"Definitely Fae," Fiyero nodded.

"Yero's a pushover when it comes to Jo, and he probably will be with this one, too," Elphaba chuckled, gently rubbing her stomach.

Mr. Kendleworth nodded and scribbled something down. "Have you two discussed baby names for the new baby?"

"We have, but we want to surprise everyone," Fiyero smiled, wrapping an arm around Elphaba.

"How has Prince Jo reacted to the news of being a big brother?"

"Well, at first he was really excited, then lost a bit of interest when we told him that he would have to share the spotlight, but now he's back to excited," Elphaba said.

"I think he's just fascinated at your stomach," Fiyero chuckled.

The green girl looked down at her large baby bump and laughed. "I think he's curious about how he made my stomach this large when I was pregnant with him."

They continued to chat until Elphaba apologized and announced that she could no longer sit on the couch and had to lay down. Mr. Kendleworth said that he had gotten though a lot of the question and had enough for the article. Fiyero helped his wife up and thanked Mr. Kendleworth for coming. The journalist thanked the royals for their time and bowed before leaving.

"You did very well, Fae," Fiyero said as he helped Elphaba up the stairs.

"That was long," Elphaba moaned when they reached their room.

The prince helped Elphaba lay down on her side and took off her shoes before beginning to massage her feet. Elphaba sighed in comfort as she wiggled her toes.

"Thanks," she muttered before falling asleep.

Fiyero smiled and stood to kiss her forehead before tiptoeing out of the room to find Jo.

* * *

 **Song Used:**

 ** _'Shut Up and Dance'_ by Walk the Moon**


	25. Chapter 25

**ElphabaMeridaMatilda: I know that "Fae" means fairy, but this was just a better explanation to the nickname than Fiyero telling Elphaba that he calls her a fairy every time he says it.**

 **Thewickedwitchofmexico: Well… I've only seen Alli Mauzey live, and I love her Glinda, but I also like Katie Rose Clark.**

* * *

When September turned into October and the baby still had not arrived yet, Fiyero tried his best to steer clear of Elphaba whenever possible. They didn't celebrate their anniversary that year, since Elphaba was not feeling up to it. Fiyero understood, but that didn't mean he was happy about it. The green girl was trying her best to temper her emotions, but all she was thinking about was why she hadn't gone into labor yet.

"Hey, you in there," she said tiredly to her very large stomach. "I know that you're comfortable in there, but I would really like to meet you. So would your father and the rest of the country."

She got a light kick in response, and sighed. This baby was taking its sweet time.

"Hi, Fae," Fiyero said softly, coming into the bedroom.

"I hate everything," was Elphaba's greeting from where she laid on the bed, her back facing the door.

Fiyero knew that no matter what he said, his wife would only shut him down, so he simply settled for sitting on the edge of the bed and rubbing her back.

"This is definitely your child, Fiyero. It's not even born yet and it's already making a habit of being late," Elphaba grumbled.

"I'm sorry," was all the prince said.

"I'm just… I'm just so tired."

"I know, Fae."

Elphaba tried to shift her weight, but failed. Fiyero got an extra pillow and fluffed it before sticking it under Elphaba's side.

"Thanks," Elphaba muttered.

The prince smiled and softly kissed her cheek. "Do you want me to stay?"

"If you want."

"I want," Fiyero smiled as he slid into bed and gently pulled Elphaba into his arms.

"I just want to have this baby already," Elphaba said, her voice slurred with sleep.

"I know, Fae."

Later that evening, Elphaba was in the parlor, reading. She had three pillows behind her back and five pillows under her feet. She looked up when footsteps reached her ears and smiled, seeing Jo walk over to her. "Hi, sweetie."

"Hi," Jo said, staring at his mother's stomach. "When's the new baby gonna come?"

Elphaba chuckled softly. "Soon, I hope."

Jo nodded. "Will it help if I sing to him or her? Will that make it come?"

At this point, Elphaba was willing to try anything. "Sure."

Jo's face lit up and he cleared his throat. "Dancing through life, skimming the surface. Gliding where turf is smooth. Life's more painless, for the brainless. Why think too hard, when it's so soothing?" the young boy sang.

Elphaba tried her best not to grimace. Her son had a nice voice for a three-year-old, but that was the last song she wanted to hear.

Fiyero, who was on his way into the parlor, stopping in his tracks when he heard what song his son was singing. He turned on his heels and made to walk out unnoticed, but he had no such luck.

"Fiyero!"

Stiffening, Fiyero slowly turned around and was met with a hard glare from his wife. Jo had gone quiet, glancing between both of his parents. "Are you okay, Mama?"

Elphaba turned towards her son and sighed. "I'm fine, Jo. Why don't you find Liah and ask her to get you some ice cream?"

Jo smiled and nodded enthusiastically as he ran out of the room, leaving his father to his certain doom. Fiyero slowly entered the room and stopped a few feet away from Elphaba. "Hi."

"A song you taught him?" Elphaba asked, getting straight to the point.

Fiyero grimaced. "He heard me humming it unconsciously and wanted me to teach him. I'm sorry. But Fae, he was only trying to make you feel better."

Elphaba sighed and rubbed her face. "I know. I hate feeling like this. Help me up, please?"

Fiyero smiled and helped his wife to her feet. "Are you alright?"

"Thanks. And yes, I'm fine," Elphaba said as she waddled away. The green girl occupied her time writing letters to her family and Galinda. She tried to keep it happy and upbeat, but was considered really hard when all she wanted to do was give birth.

Three days past and Elphaba was getting sick of being pregnant. She found herself snapping at everyone over the smallest things, and while they understood, they couldn't stop from looking hurt. The weather was slowly starting to get colder, but Elphaba's body temperature seemed to be rising. Liah made sure to keep Jo extra occupied so he wouldn't bother his mother, and while she enjoyed spending time with the young prince, it started to take a toll on her.

"Liah, you should rest," Fiyero said when he saw Liah chasing Jo through the castle again.

"Your Highness," Liah began to protest, slightly breathless.

"Please, Liah. I'll watch Jo. Elphaba in our room, asleep. And I suggest you rest as well."

Liah looked torn, but did as her employer requested, curtsied, and went back to her room, leaving Fiyero to hunt down Jo.

Elphaba had been sleeping, but kept waking up due to her inability to get comfortable, and settled for sitting at her desk, half-reading. Someone knocked on the door, but Elphaba ignored it. Seconds later, she heard the door open and footsteps approach, but didn't turn around.

"Oh, Your Highness!" It was Aya, and she sounded surprised. "I thought you would be resting."

"I was," Elphaba said stiffly.

Aya was silent for a moment. "Would you like a cup of tea?"

"No."

"Oh. A glass of water?"

"No."

"An extra pillow?"

Then, Elphaba snapped. "No, I don't want any of that! All I want is for everyone to stop bothering me and leave me alone! This child is taking its sweet time and it's driving me crazy!"

Aya blinked and stepped back, never having seen the princess this enraged before. "Your Highness…"

Much to her surprise, and to Aya's, Elphaba pushed herself up and slowly stalked over to the frightened maid. "I'm sick of everyone always asking if I want something and hovering down my back and treating me like I'm helpless. 'Your Highness, would you like this?' or 'Your Highness, would you like that?' And the next person to call me 'Your Highness' will get turned into a toad. Do I make myself perfectly clear?"

She was now standing over the shivering maid, her eyes burning with rage and exhaustion. Aya merely blinked and nodded before quickly hurrying out of the room, tears quickly streaming down her cheek. Elphaba's shoulders slumped and she sat down again. She knew she shouldn't have snapped at Aya like that. She was only trying to help. Sniffling, she sat back down at her desk and began to cry.

Fiyero was walking down the hallway when he almost ran into Aya. "Aya?" he asked, noticing the young maid's tearstained cheeks.

Aya quickly wiped her face and curtsied. "Your Highness."

"Are you alright?"

"Yes, Your Highness. I'm fine."

Something about the maid's tone worried Fiyero. "No, Aya. Something's wrong. What happened?"

"It's nothing. It… it was my fault. Excuse me." She made to move past the prince, but he gently grabbed her wrist, stopping her.

"Did Elphaba yell at you?"

Aya refused to meet the prince's gaze and she gently fought to get free. "Your Highness, please…"

"Aya, did Elphaba yell at you?" the prince repeated.

"It was…"

"Yes or no?"

Aya stilled and slowly met the prince's gaze. "Yes," she said in a soft whisper. "But it was my fault. I apologize for upsetting her, Your Highness."

The young maid was now crying and very close to breaking down. Fiyero knew how sensitive she was and pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and handed it to her to dry her tears. "Take the rest of the day off."

Aya looked up and opened her mouth to protest, but Fiyero cut her off. "You need to rest. I'll ask someone else to finish your chores for you."

"Prince Fiyero, I…"

Fiyero gave her a stern, yet gentle look and Aya immediately stopped protesting. "Thank you, Your Highness," Aya said gratefully as she curtsied and left.

Fiyero exhaled slowly as he made his way to the bedroom. When he opened the door, he found Elphaba sitting at the desk, sobbing. He immediately went over to her and wrapped her in his arms before helping her up and guiding her over to the bed.

"I'm a monster, Fiyero," Elphaba sobbed as she sat down, burying her face in Fiyero's shirt.

"Fae, you're not a monster," Fiyero said as he soothingly rubbed her back.

"Yes, I am. I'm a hormonal, extremely pregnant monster. I'm getting angry at people for no reason and I snapped at Aya and made her cry. I can't do the simplest tasks without asking for help and then get snappy at people when they ask if I need help. Everyone's avoiding me, even Jo."

"Jo's not avoiding you, Fae. He's with Liah."

"Because he doesn't want to be around me. I'm pushing everyone away and I…" Elphaba didn't get to finish before a fresh wave of sobs overcame her.

"Fae, everyone understands why you're so upset."

"I still shouldn't be making everyone in the castle avoid me like the plague. Everyone hates me."

"Fae, no one hates you," Fiyero said, cupping Elphaba's chin and gently turning her to look at him.

"Aya…"

"I gave Aya the rest of the day off. She understands, Fae. She really does. She was crying and very scared, but she understands. By tomorrow, she'll be better."

"I should apologize to her."

"You can, but not today. She's still really fragile. She wouldn't tell me what happened when I asked. I think she was afraid she would lose her job."

The couple stayed silent for a moment. Elphaba shifted in Fiyero's embrace and the prince slowly loosened his grip.

"Mama?"

Elphaba looked up and saw Jo in the doorway, clutching a piece of paper to his chest. She smiled at her son and motioned for him to come in. "Hi," she said, smiling as Jo tried to climb up onto their bed, but failed and finally allowed Fiyero to pick him up and sat him in between them.

"The baby didn't come yet?" Jo asked, staring at Elphaba's stomach.

Fiyero chuckled. "Not yet, buddy."

"What's this?" Elphaba asked, looking at the paper Jo was still clutching to his chest.

"It's a picture. It's for you," Jo said as he shyly handed his mother the paper.

Elphaba smiled as the quickly identified the different color stick figures.

"It's our family. The green one is you, the blue one is Daddy, the purple one is Grandma, the brown one is Grandpa, the red one is me, and the yellow one is the new baby," Jo said as he pointed to each of the stick figures.

"It's beautiful, Jo," Elphaba smiled as she kissed her son's forehead. "Thank you."

"You're welcome, Mama," Jo giggled. He looked at Elphaba stomach once more. "Mama wants you to come out now," he said, his mouth inches away from Elphaba's stomach, causing both adults to chuckle.


	26. Chapter 26

**Ultimate Queen of Cliffies: Well, you won't have to wait any longer. And there are two more chapters after this one.**

* * *

The next afternoon, Elphaba went in search of Aya. She found her in the music room, polishing the piano. Taking a deep breath, the princess slowly walked into the room. "Aya?"

The maid jumped, almost dropping her polishing cloth, and stared at the princess. Even though she seemed calmer, Elphaba still saw a bit of fear in her eyes. Blinking, Aya curtsied and maintained a steady gaze on the floor, looking like she wanted to say something, but held her tongue.

"Aya, I want to apologize for snapping at you yesterday," Elphaba began gently, nervously shifting her swollen feet. "I didn't mean to make you upset."

"I'm sorry for making _you_ upset, Yo- ma'am," Aya said softly.

Elphaba smiled softly. "It's okay. I'm not going to turn you into a toad."

Despite herself, Aya's lips twitched into a small smile.

"And I probably would have still gotten mad if you didn't ask me if I wanted anything," Elphaba said with a small chuckle.

Aya's lips twitched even more. Elphaba smiled and made to take a step closer to Aya, but stopped short, her hand flying to her stomach.

"Your Highness?" Aya asked, concerned.

Elphaba wavered and looked like she was about to fall over. Luckily, Aya hurried over to her and caught her before she did. Worried, she guided the princess over to a nearby armchair and helped her sit down.

"Aya," Elphaba breathed. "Please go get Fiyero."

"Right away, Your Highness!"

Elphaba tried to focus on her breathing as Aya ran off to find Fiyero. A few minutes later, she heard thundering footsteps and Fiyero appeared in the doorway, slightly breathless. He saw a small puddle of water on the floor and realized why Elphaba had called him.

"It's time?" he asked as he ran to her side.

Elphaba nodded. "It's time."

"How do you feel?"

"Relieved."

The prince chuckled softly and allowed Elphaba to squeeze his hand as a contraction hit her.

"Help me up?" Elphaba asked when the contraction ended.

The prince nodded and helped his wife to his feet and helped her out of the room. As they walked back to their room, Jo ran, full speed, down the hall and happily wrapped his arms around his father's leg. "Daddy!"

"Hey, bud," Fiyero said, ruffling Jo's hair.

"What's wrong?"

"Mama's getting ready to have the baby," Fiyero said gently.

Jo looked up at his mother, who was fighting a pained expression. "Really?"

Elphaba nodded. "Really."

Jo smiled and looked at her stomach. "It's about time, baby!"

Elphaba inhaled deeply and slumped gently against her husband. Liah came into view and, sensing the princess' distress, gently pulled Jo away.

"Liah, could you take Jo into town for a few hours?" Fiyero asked, knowing that Elphaba wouldn't want her son to hear her screams of pain.

The nanny smiled and nodded. "Of course, Your Highness."

"Thank you, Liah," Elphaba whispered, forcing a smile. She watched as Liah took Jo's hand and gently pulled him down the hallway and out of sight. She felt a bit bad that she was throwing her son into the care of someone else, but immediately pushed the thought away when she gasped in surprise at a tightening feeling in her abdomen that wasn't exactly a contraction. She and Fiyero walked back to her room and Fiyero helped her into bed before running to get his parents.

Amalie came in a few minutes later and told Elphaba that Raal had sent for the midwife.

"Finally," Elphaba huffed, rubbing her stomach.

"I assume you mean the baby," Amalie chuckled.

"Yeah," Elphaba whispered. "Definitely Fiyero's child."

Amalie chuckled and kissed the princess' forehead.

The midwife arrived and began to examine Elphaba. "I'm a bit worried about the baby's size," she admitted. "You were due to deliver two weeks ago, Your Highness, so there's no telling how big the baby is."

Elphaba moaned and Amalie wiped her forehead and gave her an ice cube to chew on. "Can we please drop the 'Your Highness' for the next… however long this takes?"

Amalie smiled sympathetically and looked at the midwife. "It's alright. I'm worried about what will happen if someone calls her 'Your Highness' while she's giving birth."

The midwife looked from the queen to the princess. "Of course… ma'am."

It was more of a question, and Elphaba slowly nodded. "Sure."

Her labor progressed at a steady pace, and by early evening, she was ready to push, and Fiyero was promptly banished. He walked off to the library, trying to get away from Elphaba's screams of pain, but found that her screams filled most of the castle.

"Ah, Your Highness," Cato bowed when he saw the prince. "What book are you looking for?"

"Anything to take my mind off of –" Fiyero was cut off by a scream and a curse word he was glad Jo wasn't around to hear, "that."

Cato smiled and pulled out a book from the mystery section. "I highly recommend this one."

Fiyero didn't even look at the book as he took it and thanked Cato before making his way over to one of the couches and sitting down, trying hard to block Elphaba's howls of pain. _I'm sorry, Fae_ , he thought, opening to the first page, but only half-reading it.

After what seemed like an eternity, Amalie went looking for the prince. She didn't expect to find him in the library, but one of the servants told her that he had fled there. Thanking him, Amalie turned around and walked up the stairs to the large double doors. She found her son rather easily, since she was used to see him fast asleep, his mouth slightly open, and a bit of drool down his chin. "Fiyero."

The prince jumped up and looked around, wiping his mouth when he caught sight of his mother. "How is she? How's the baby? Did…"

"Fiyero, slow down," Amalie chided gently. "Elphaba's lost quite a bit of blood, but she's fine. Both she and the baby are fine."

"The baby…"

"You have a daughter," Amalie smiled. "She's beautiful, Fiyero. Six pounds, three ounces."

Fiyero laughed joyfully. A daughter. A little girl. He happily hugged his mother, who was more than happy to hug him back. "Can I see Fae?"

"The midwife just finished cleaning her, so yes. But be very gentle with her."

"I will," Fiyero said, kissing his mother's cheek and hurrying out of the library. When he got to the door, he quickly calmed himself and slowly opened the door.

Elphaba was propped up on pillows, half-asleep. She looked exhausted and weak, but still managed a small smile when she saw him. "Hi."

"Hey," Fiyero whispered back, gently sitting down on the edge of the bed. "How are you?"

"Tired," Elphaba said, gently leaning her head on Fiyero's shoulder. "We have a daughter, Yero."

"I heard."

"She's beautiful."

"And where is our beautiful new daughter?"

"Right here," the midwife said as she turned around, cradling a bundle in her arms. "Congratulations, Your Highnesses."

The prince gently took the newborn from the midwife's arms and looked at her. Her pink skin was glowing and she was peacefully asleep. He simply stared at her, taking in her soft features.

"She looks like Nessa when she was born," Elphaba commented softly, shifting against the pillows.

"She's beautiful," Fiyero smiled.

The baby slowly opened her eyes and looked up at her father. "Hi, princess," Fiyero whispered, kissing her forehead. "What should we name her?"

"Remember when I wrote to you back when you were in the Quadling country?" Elphaba asked.

The prince nodded. "Yes."

"Do you remember my top five girl names?"

"Dahlia, Ebaline, Izla, Alenna, and Roselle," Fiyero recited.

Elphaba smiled. "You remembered?"

"Of course I did, Fae."

Two hours later, Liah came back with Jo. Once she found out that Elphaba had given birth, she took Jo upstairs to see his parents and new sibling.

"Hi, Jo," Fiyero said when he opened the door.

Jo looked past his father and saw his mother sitting up against the pillows, holding his new sibling. Elphaba looked up and motioned for Jo to come in. The young prince immediately hurried over to his mother's side and allowed his father to lift him onto the bed.

"Say 'hello' to your new sister, Jo," Elphaba smiled, showing Jo his new baby sister.

"She's tiny," Jo observed.

Elphaba laughed. "Would you like to hold her?"

Jo nodded enthusiastically and sat up straight against the headboard as Elphaba gently placed his sister in his arms.

"Be careful, she's very fragile." Fiyero said as he corrected his son's arm position.

Jo looked down at her, taking in her features. "Was I this fragile, Mama?"

"Yes, Jo. You were. All newborns are fragile," Elphaba smiled, watching her son get to know the new baby.

"Congratulations, Your Highnesses," Liah smiled, taking a step into the room.

"Thank you, Liah. How was Jo?" Fiyero asked.

"He was very excited, he told everyone we encountered that the new royal addition was about to make an entrance."

Elphaba laughed softly.

"What's her name?" Jo asked, giving the baby back to Elphaba.

The couple waited until Amalie and Raal came back into the room before announcing the name. "Ebaline Dahlia Izla Tigulaar," Fiyero said proudly.

"That's a beautiful name," Raal smiled. "Congratulations."

"Thank you," Elphaba smiled as she looked down at her new daughter and rocked her into her arms. "We've waited a long time for you, sweetie," she whispered to her. "And even an extra two weeks."

"Can I call her 'Ebbie'?" Jo asked.

"Of course, Jo," Elphaba smiled, lightly ruffling her son's hair and kissing his cheek.

The adults chuckled and slowly filed out of the room, giving the new parents some time alone to get to know their new child.

"I'm proud of you," Fiyero said as he kissed his wife's forehead.

"Thank you," Elphaba smiled, leaning back against the pillows. "I'm proud of you, too."

"I didn't do anything. You did all the amazing work."

"You were just as strong as I was."

Fiyero smiled. "She's perfect, Fae."

"And Galinda will go crazy."

"And she'll say that we'd better use every single pink items she bought."

"Or else she'll turn both of our wardrobes pink," Elphaba chuckled.

Fiyero, however, shivered. "I don't want to take that chance."

"Neither do I. The things she bought are, dare I say it, cute."

"That's Galinda for you."

Elphaba laughed and looked at her daughter. "That it is."


	27. Chapter 27

"Good morning, sweetie," Elphaba said, forcing a smile as she lifted three week old Ebbie out of the crib. Ebbie yawned and slowly opened her eyes. The green girl stared into her daughter's eyes, which looked like her husband's and kissed her cheek before sitting down and nursing her. Galinda, Cally, Windon, Nessa, and her father were coming to see Ebaline for the first time. Ebbie finished quickly and her face contorted before she started crying.

"Alright," Elphaba said as she got up and began to change her. "Feel better?" she asked once she finished.

Ebbie settled for quietly sucking on her fingers and went back to sleep. Elphaba used the time to get ready for the day. After showering and dressing in a simple, dark purple long sleeved dress, she got Ebbie, who was still peacefully asleep, and walked down to the dining room.

"Morning, Mama!" Jo smiled.

"Jo, don't talk with your mouth full," Amalie chided gently.

"Sorry," Jo said with his mouth full.

"Good morning, Jo," Elphaba smiled, rocking Ebbie in her arms before handing her to Liah so she could eat.

"What time did you wake up this morning?" Fiyero asked, sipping his orange juice.

"Early," Elphaba said, giving her husband a pointed look.

"Right, sorry."

"You're changing the diapers today."

The prince opened his mouth to protest, but the look his wife gave him shut him up. "Okay."

The rest of the meal was fairly quiet, except for Jo trying to make conversation, and indirectly being silenced by his parents' one-word answers. The young boy pouted and quickly finished his breakfast before hurrying off to find Liah.

In the early afternoon, everyone else started to arrive. A picnic was set up in the gardens and they immediately congregated there.

"Elphaba, she's beautiful," Cally said as she admired the new princess.

"She is, Fabala," Nessa smiled.

"She looks a bit like you, Nessie," Elphaba said, gently adjusting the swaddle.

"She looks more like you and Fiyero."

The prince smiled and turned towards Galinda. "You can say it now."

"Say what?" the blonde asked innocently.

"I told you so."

"Why would I say that?" the blonde asked, smirking as she observed the baby, who seemed content with watching all the adults gazing down at her. "I trust that you will put everything I bought you to good use?"

"Of course, Glin."

"But you're right, I did tell you so."

Jo, who was sitting on the grass, playing with a toy train Frex had bought for him, looked up. He frowned, not used to not being the center of attention. He slowly stood up and walked over to the adults before gently tugging on Windon's pant leg. "Look at my new train, Uncle Windon."

Windon looked down and smiled. "It's very nice, little tyke," he said, gently ruffling his hair before turning his attention back to Ebbie.

Jo frowned again and went to Cally. "Aunt Cally, will you play with me?"

Ebbie chose that moment to have a spit-up moment and Elphaba realized that she didn't bring an extra towel.

"I'll go get one, Elphaba," Cally volunteered, giving Jo an apologetic smile and kissing his forehead before hurrying into the castle.

The young prince's frown deepened. He went over to Nessa and gently tugged on her hand. "Aunt Nessa, will you read me a story?"

The wheelchair-bound girl smiled. "Of course, Jo. Did you bring a book?"

Jo thought for a moment, then shook his head. "No, but Daddy knows where the stories are." Smiling, he hurried over to his father. "Daddy! Aunt Nessa says that she'll read me a story! Can we get a book?"

"In a minute, Jo," Fiyero said as Elphaba handed Ebbie over to him so she could have a free moment with Galinda.

Jo sighed and went back to Nessa. "Daddy's busy. Can you make up a story?"

Nessa smiled sympathetically. "I'm sorry, Jo, but I'm not good at coming up with stories from scratch."

Jo frowned, but nodded and walked away, determined to have someone give him a little bit of attention. "Auntie Galinda, will you cut me a piece of cake?"

Galinda, whose undivided attention was on the infant in Elphaba's arms, didn't notice Jo until she felt him tug on her dress. She looked down and, ruffling his hair, smiled. "Oh, hi, Jo-Jo. Did you want something?"

Jo paused, then said, "No," as he walked away. He thought about asking his Grandpa Frex, but knew he was more on the quiet side, and he wouldn't get much out of him. Then he looked at Elphaba. If anyone would give him the attention he wanted, it would be his mother. "Mama, can you push me on the swings?"

"Not right now, Jo. Maybe later," Elphaba said, her eyes never leaving Ebbie.

"That's what you said last time," Jo pouted.

"Jo, I said later," Elphaba said, a hint of annoyance sneaking into her voice.

"But…"

"Joachim."

Jo stepped back and shut his mouth. His mother didn't even look at him. All everyone cared about was Ebbie. She wasn't even interesting. All she did was eat, sleep, cry, and poop. He could run, jump, put together a puzzle, and do a forward roll. That was much more interesting.

"Grandma, Grandpa, do you want to hear me count to ten?" Jo asked, stepping beside the king and queen. "One… two… three… four…"

"Jo, could you please stop making so much noise? You'll wake Ebaline," Elphaba said sternly.

Jo blinked. He wasn't making noise. He was counting. Ebbie was the one who made noise. All she did was cry. Ebbie's eyes slowly opened and she began to wail, obviously not liking being awoken from her nap.

Elphaba sighed as she rocked the baby in her arms. "Jo, could you please sit down and do something _quietly_ for a few minutes? Please?"

Jo looked at his mother with wide eyes. A few tears slid down his cheek, but no one noticed, as they were all trying to help Elphaba calm Ebbie down. A soft sob slipped past his lips as he turned and ran away. He didn't care where he was going, and he was sure the adults wouldn't either.

After a long afternoon, everyone parted ways, leaving the royal family alone in the parlor.

"Liah, where's Jo?" Fiyero asked when he didn't hear the noise that came with having a three-year-old son.

The nanny looked up from her needlepointing. "I believed that he was still with you, Your Highness."

Fiyero blinked. He told Liah that she didn't have to be on-the-clock that afternoon, but he just assumed that Jo was with her. He turned towards his wife, who was leaning against his shoulder, half-asleep. "Fae?"

"Hmm?" Elphaba hummed, slowly opening her eyes.

"Do you know where Jo is?"

Elphaba sat up and blinked. "Didn't he come in with us?"

"You don't know?"

"I… I was so busy with Ebbie… I didn't…" Elphaba trailed off. "Oh no."

The couple and Liah went searched the whole castle for Jo. They asked maids and servants if they had seen him, but no one had. Elphaba began to panic. She should have kept a closer eye on him. She shouldn't have let him slip away. She shouldn't have pushed him away like she did ever since Ebbie was born. All of her emotions came out at once and she began to sob. Luckily, Fiyero was close by and heard her. He hurried towards her and quickly pulled her into his arms.

"It's all my fault," Elphaba sobbed against his shoulder. "I should have been watching him."

"Fae, it's not your fault. He couldn't have gone far. We'll find him."

Elphaba shook her head. "It's not just that. I treated… I treated him the way my father used to treat me."

"Fae…"

"I ignored him. I p-pushed him away. I p-probably made him feel that he wasn't important… that I love Ebbie m-more than him… or that I don't love him at all anymore."

"Fae, he knows that you love him."

"But I haven't been showing that recently. He's only three, Yero. He'll believe anything."

The prince continued to hold his wife until her tears subsided. Once she finished crying, a light bulb went off in her head and she gently pushed away from Fiyero. "I think I know where he is."

"Where?" Fiyero asked.

"I'll go, but I need to go by myself. I need to talk to him." Elphaba quickly kissed her husband and hurried off back into the gardens. She found Jo sitting on the swings, slowly rocking back and forth. His back was turned towards her, so he didn't notice she was there until she placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. "Hi."

Jo frowned and shrugged his mother's hand off.

Elphaba recoiled, but quickly recovered and knelt down to his level. "What are you doing out here, Jo? It's almost dinner time."

"You don't care about me anymore," Jo said bitterly.

"Of course I care about you, Jo. I love you."

"You love Ebbie more."

Elphaba smiled softly. "I love you both equally."

"You spend all of your time with her and you never notice me anymore."

"Jo, Ebbie is a newborn. She needs lots of attention in order to grow. I gave you a lot of my attention when you were a newborn, and it's only fair that I do the same to her."

Jo turned away as much as he could. "I want things to go back to the way they were. I don't want a little sister anymore."

Elphaba frowned. Was this normal behavior from a new older sibling? Was there ever a time where she didn't want Nessa? She couldn't remember not wanting Nessa around. It's not like she had an ideal childhood, other than the few happy memories she had with her mother. "You don't love your sister?"

"I don't know," Jo shrugged.

"Well, why don't you get to know her before you decide whether you love her or not?"

"Because she's boring. She doesn't do anything."

"You didn't do anything when you were that small," Elphaba smiled, wrapping an arm around him. "You did the exact same things she does. You would wake up at all hours of the morning, wanting to be fed or cuddled, you would spit-up on your bib and make Mama and Daddy clean up after you, you did all of those things, but you grew up."

"And she'll grow up to and get more interesting?"

"Of course. And you'll get to teach her how to be interesting. Remember, you get to teach her how to color and put a puzzle together, but you have to wait until she gets bigger."

Jo's face lit up ever so slightly and he slowly turned back towards his mother. "Okay."

Elphaba smiled and quickly pulled her son into her arms. "I'm sorry for pushing you away, Jo, and for getting mad at you today. I promise to make time for you from now on."

"Okay," Jo said again, clinging to his mother.

Elphaba wiped a stray tear away and gently pulled back to look at her son. "Now, I would love to hear you count to ten."

Jo smiled. "Can we swing, too?"

Elphaba nodded. "Of course." She stood up and stepped behind Jo before pushing him. Jo counted all the way to ten, and she continued for him when he reached his limit. It did feel like old times again, but she knew things were different now and could never go back to the way they were. What she _could_ do was make sure that both of her children were happy and felt loved. That was all a mother could do.

* * *

 **One more chapter to go!**


	28. Chapter 28: Epilogue

**Here we are, everyone! The final chapter!**

 **BillyJay936: I've actually never seen that. LOL!**

 **Also, there's a reference to one of my other stories in this chapter. Virtual cupcakes to those who spot it.**

* * *

In hindsight, he knew it wasn't a good idea, but he just had to do it. Fiyero crept through the castle, holding his son's marshmallow gun, which he had preloaded minutes before. He tiptoed into the bedroom, where Elphaba was still peacefully asleep, her back facing him, and the covers abandoned on the floor. He smirked to himself as he positioned the marshmallow gun and aimed it at his wife. The marshmallow shot out and hit Elphaba in her rear-end, causing her to squeal and fall out the bed. The prince burst into loud laughter and clutched his midsection, trying not to fall over.

Elphaba slowly peaked out from behind the bed and frowned. "Fiyero Liir Magnus Tigulaar, I will _kill_ you!" she growled as she pushed herself to her feet.

The prince was so busy laughing that he didn't even realize Elphaba advance at him until she was right in front of his face. He felt her grab his wrist and twist it behind his back before she forced him to his knees. His laugher became a cry of pain and he twisted to look up at his wife. "Fae, I was only playing."

"You know better than to wake me up like that. Oz, I regret you giving Jo that marshmallow gun and he hasn't been the one using it for inappropriate reasons," Elphaba pointed out, now hovering over her husband.

Fiyero winced, but managed to free his wrist so he could twist and look up at his wife. "I love you."

Elphaba's glare only intensified, but she instantly melted when Fiyero pulled her down and her lips crashed against his. They were so lost in the moment that they didn't hear the door open.

"Mama! Daddy! Wake up! We have to go to the…" Seven-year-old Ebaline trailed off when she saw her parents on the floor, kissing. Her older brother appeared behind her and froze in the doorway, staring wide-eyed at his parents.

Elphaba was the first to react and pushed away from Fiyero and immediately rose to her feet, awkwardly clearing her throat. She tried to hide her blush, but failed, her face quickly turning dark green.

Fiyero tilted his head up and looked at his upside-down children. He struggled to find words, but nothing coherent came out. Blinking, Jo gently grabbed his sister by the shoulders and pulled her out of the room, closing the door behind them. Elphaba sighed and looked down at her husband. "I hate you so much right now," she muttered, though the prince could tell she didn't really mean it.

"I love you, too, Fae," he smiled.

Shaking her head, Elphaba stepped over her husband and walked out of the room to get ready for the day-trip to the cove.

"Can we have cake for breakfast?" Ebbie asked as they walked down to breakfast.

"Cake isn't a breakfast food, sweetie," Elphaba said lightly.

"Yeah, it is. The ones you put in the pan."

"Pancakes?" Jo asked dryly, earning him a light smack behind his head from his father.

Ebbie didn't seem to notice her brother's tone and simply smiled. "Yeah, pancakes!"

Elphaba exchanged a look with her husband, who simply smiled down at his daughter. "Sure. Pancakes it is."

After breakfast, Harv came into the foyer to make sure that everything was ready for the prince and princess' little trip. "Do you have everything you need, Your Highnesses?" he asked.

"I believe so," Elphaba said as Jo ran up to her with his pail and shovel. "Do you have everything?"

"Yes, Mama," the children chorused.

Fiyero nodded. "I think we're ready to go."

"Have a fun trip, everyone," Amalie said, standing next to Raal as they both waved.

"Bye, Grandma! Bye, Grandpa!" Ebbie said, giving her grandparents a hug.

"Bye! Have fun!" Raal smiled, kissing his grandchildren.

The king and queen watched from the window as Elphaba, Fiyero, Ebbie, and Jo climbed into the carriage and drove off.

The drive to the cove wasn't a very long one, but it was almost an eternity for Jo, who just wished that his sister would stop talking. He had grown to love his sister, but she could sometimes be very annoying. Elphaba gently stroked his hair, sympathizing with him, thinking back to times when Nessa had annoyed her about something-or-other.

Finally, the carriage slowed to a halt and Ebbie looked out the window. "Yay! We're here!"

"Yes," Jo sighed with relief.

The driver jumped down and opened the door, bowing to Fiyero as he stepped down. The prince turned and helped his wife, who, in turn, helped Ebbie down. Jo jumped down by himself, claiming that he didn't need help now that he was ten years old.

"Mama, come on!" Ebbie giggled as she began to happily skip towards the water.

Elphaba smiled at her daughter. "We're coming, Ebbie! Be careful!"

The seven-year-old nodded and continued to happily skip away towards the shore. Fiyero happily wrapped his arm around his wife and they slowly began to walk across the sand.

"So, how was your council meeting yesterday? I never got a chance to ask you," Elphaba said as she leaned her head against Fiyero's shoulder.

"Oh, you know. Same old, same old. It was just me stuck in a room with stuck-up politicians, stiff members of parliament, stupid trustees, and a bunch of other 'doot-da-doos'."

"Yero!" Elphaba gasped, trying to hold in her laughter.

"What? It's true. Why can't you go to these council meetings? You would actually like some of the stuff they make me talk about."

"Our roles are very different, Yero."

"I know. You can just come to one council meeting… while I stay at home."

Elphaba rolled her eyes, but stood on her toes to press a kiss against the prince's lips. "I'll think about it."

The prince smiled and wrapped his arm around her as they continued their walk. They looked back at their children, who were busy making a sandcastle. There weren't many people there. They were far away enough from everyone else to not be noticed, but we close enough to not be completely isolated. Elphaba had argued that it wouldn't be very hard to spot the only green person in all of Oz, but Fiyero had convinced her that it would be fine and they should enjoy some time together as a family.

Ebbie called them over and pretty soon, Elphaba found herself helping her children bury Fiyero under the sand. The prince had closed his eyes and began to relax, but jumped up when he felt a crab pinch his toe, sending sand flying everywhere.

"Yero!" Elphaba exclaimed, trying to shield her face.

"Sorry," the prince said sheepishly, rubbing his toe and inspecting for blood. When he assured himself that he was okay, he suggested that the family swim in the ocean.

Elphaba passed and simply settled for sitting on the towel they bought and read a book. Fiyero pouted and, before his wife could move, he lifted her into his arms and carried her over to the ocean, ignoring her protests and commands to put her down. He shivered slightly from the cold water in contact with his skin, but quickly recovered as he dove under water, taking Elphaba with him. When he came back up, Elphaba was sputtering and coughing water out of her lungs. "Yero…" she growled.

"Yes?"

"Release me at once."

Fiyero paused, but did as his wife requested. Elphaba felt the soft, wet sand under her feet and smirked slightly before surprising Fiyero by splashing him. The prince looked at her for a moment before spitting the water out of his mouth and splashing her back. They got into a splashing fight, which Jo and Ebbie were more than happy to join. After Fiyero feigned exhaustion (or maybe he was tired of Elphaba, Jo, and Ebbie ganging up on him), the royal family walked out of the ocean and tried off as best they could. After enjoying a small picnic lunch they all walked along the shore for a while before going to back to the carriage and heading back to the castle.

That night, Elphaba snuck into the room. The light was off and she could see Fiyero laying in the bed with his back facing her. She smirked as she revealed what she was hiding behind her back; Jo's marshmallow gun. She aimed it at her husband and fired, successfully hitting his rear end and causing him to fall out the bed. The prince screamed and landed on the ground with a _thud_. He looked up to see Elphaba laying on the bed, looking at him and cackling.

"Elphaba Melena Tigulaar," Fiyero growled.

"Yes?" Elphaba blinked.

The prince pushed himself up and climbed into the bed, pinning Elphaba underneath him. "That wasn't funny."

"I thought it was."

"You _think_?"

Elphaba reached up and smacked the prince's nose. After giving it a brief rub and assuring himself that she didn't break his precious nose, he growled as pressed his lips against hers. "It's impossible to stay mad at you."

"Mmm, I know," the green girl muttered.

Fiyero's hand traveled down to Elphaba's thigh. She gasped softly, but didn't protest as she resumed kissing her husband. A soft moan escaped her lips as Fiyero moved to kissing her neck, but she gently pushed him away when she felt him tug at her nightgown. "I think two kids is enough." The prince pouted a bit, and Elphaba pinched his arm. "It's enough, Yero."

"Okay, you're right," Fiyero said as he shifted and climbed under the covers.

Elphaba did the same and snuggled closer into Fiyero's arms. "I'm always right."

"Mmhmm."

The couple stayed silent for a moment.

"Yero?"

"Yeah?"

Elphaba slowly turned and looked her husband in the eyes. "N-Nothing."

"No, Fae. What is it?"

"It's just… I love you."

The prince smiled. "I love you, too."

Elphaba snuggled closer. "It's just… every morning, I wake up, expecting to find myself in Munchkinland, my sister needing my assistance and my father yelling at me for something. Then I realize that I'm here with you and that this is my life now. I never imagined that I would be happy, much less _this_ happy. I'm glad I have you, Yero."

"My life would be boring without you, Fae. You got me to think and you say right through my 'brainless prince' act at Shiz. You saw the actual me and made it your mission to let everyone else see it. I can't imagine my life without you."

"Now that I have you, I don't want to imagine my life without you," Elphaba whispered.

The prince chuckled softly and kissed her forehead. "Why don't we 'not imagine our lives without each other' together?"

Elphaba laughed sleepily. "That sounds nice."

* * *

 **BTW: The marshmallow gun… something I found on Tumblr.**

 **Well, that's the end, everyone! Thank you all so much for reading, following, favoriting, and reviewing. My next story, _'Come To Me'_ will be posted tomorrow. Reviews are super awesome!**


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